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The optimisation of drinking water in North Overijssel

“From an early age, I was always busy assembling and disassembling equipment and experimenting,” says Joël Palmans, Senior Engineer EIA at Iv-Water. “Choosing for secondary vocational education (MBO) in electrical engineering was a logical step for me. The passion only grew stronger, and I wanted to learn more and more. After this, I went on to do a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in electrical engineering. Technology holds truth in it. You either get something right, or you don’t. It’s either true or not; everything in technology can be substantiated with proven facts. I find this fascinating. I have been working at Iv-Water for about six years now and currently hold the position of Senior Engineer EIA. I function as Lead Engineer EI&PA (Electrical, Instrumentation & Process Automation) in projects like the Boerhaar Diepenveen project. Within this project, I have a central coordinator role between the client and engineers. I enjoy the responsibility I have in projects, such as devising technical solutions. I also enjoy the project management tasks, which include, for example, steering the project in the right direction from my discipline.”

Diversity

“Diversity in the work,” continues Joël, “that’s what I really like about my job at Iv. At Iv-Water, we work on projects for water boards and drinking water companies and projects for industrial clients in the field of water treatment and transport. Iv- Infra’s EIA department also provides engineering support for locks, bridges, and flood barriers. This keeps the work diverse and ensures a continual learning journey, which is very nice, as it keeps you well informed and up to date. Opportunities to gain experience and develop within the company are plentiful. Also, very important! The first project I started at Iv was process automation at Zwaanshoek WWTP. I have been trained in this and have gained much experience, which helped subsequent projects to run smoothly. Now I’m working on the Boerhaar Diepenveen project for Vitens.”

Capacity expansion

The Diepenveen production company and the Boerhaar extraction site are located in the northern part of Overijssel. To optimise the operational reserve, it was decided to make Boerhaar’s non- operational reserve active and to expand the water treatment plant of the Diepenveen production company. Thereby a step was made towards making the process more sustainable. As part of this project, various drinking water wells are being realised at the Boerhaar extraction site. The raw water is transported to Diepenveen, where the water treatment plant is located. The site will not only be expanded but will also conform to the latest requirements. Iv-Water has a framework contract with Vitens since 2019 and is responsible for the engineering activities (preliminary draft up to and including the final design and tendering phase). Thereby 3D scans and BIM, among other techniques have also been used in this project.

New wells and adjustments to process components

The extraction capacity of the Boerhaar extraction site and the water treatment capacity of the Diepenveen production company will be increased within the existing permit. The locations will be expanded with four extraction wells and the adaptation of various process components. For example, the Diepenveen production company will receive a third reverse osmosis unit. A new aeration system will also be installed to intensively aerate the filtrate and thus increase the pH level and eliminate the existing caustic soda dosage. In addition, several installations will be replaced to extend the life of the water treatment and reduce energy consumption, thus promoting a more sustainable treatment process. For Iv-Water, this is a large and multidisciplinary project,” explains Joël. “The challenges are in ensuring all the disciplines are aligned and meet the tight schedule. Such a project is a kind of relay race. The mechanical engineers first create the design, then civil engineering gets to work. Only then do we at EI&PA know what’s coming and start working on the electrical engineering diagrams and process automation. If a discipline is delayed or something is altered, it will have consequences for electrical engineering. Effective communication is therefore essential. All involved parties need to keep well informed about the status of the project. In recent years, I have learned a lot about project coordination and the many communications with the client and how to make these as effcient as possible. However, there comes a time when you just know how to do it optimally.”

More certainty with 3D scans and BIM

To quickly gain good insight into the dimensions of the existing buildings and mechanical installations, Iv-Water scanned the relevant buildings in 3D. The adjustments were modelled in Revit and Plant 3D based on existing drawings, and the dimensions were verified with the 3D scans. The objective was to arrive at a feasible design with which the client could obtain a complete virtual impression of numerous elements, including the layout, accessibility for maintenance and free spaces in the building. “Using 3D scans in a project was new for me,” says Joël. “The main advantage for the engineers is that you can, in effect, walk through the building on the computer, thus reducing the need to visit the location frequently. The scan in the 3D model forms the basis for the rest of the designs. It’s a great tool for aligning all the disciplines and avoiding any clashes. If something doesn’t fit in the design, this will be immediately evident.”

Communicate and collaborate

“Vitens is a fairly new client for us,” explains Joël. “We had to learn how they work and the standards they use. This was my greatest challenge in the project, combined with a tight schedule and numerous changes. After all, how do we get to the finish line most effciently? Through much communication and collaboration, you gradually get to know a client well. This isn’t easy in the beginning and takes time to establish. However, this aspect is very underestimated in projects. We have been working on this project for a year and a half and now know exactly what our client wants. We can use the knowledge we have gained in a subsequent project, which offers a major advantage. The best thing about this project? The integral aspect. That we, as Iv-Water, can deliver an integral project well, coordinated, and with a satisfied client!”