Water Treatment Plant In March 2009, Fulghum Fibres Uruguay commissioned a new water treatment plant at the Montevideo chip mill.  The water treatment plant (WTP) is designed to recycle “dirty” water from the log wash system and process it to a clean and reusable state. In the chipping of eucalyptus logs, significant amounts of “passenger” mud and silica are carried to the chipper, causing abrasion and damage to the chipper. It is common, therefore, to “wash” the incoming logs, in an attempt to reduce this wear and tear. The challenge, however, is to treat the used water and not place an environmental burden on the local community. This flow of water can be up to 300 gallons per minute (or about 68 m3 per hour). The first prize in any such log wash system is to have a 100% recycle system – which is the least onerous on the environment. It is such a system that Fulghum Fibres have installed in Uruguay. This system was purchased and installed by an Australian company, Aquasol,  and inserted into the Fulghum processing line to operate on a 24/7 basis. The WTP utilizes a clarification and filtration process, aided by the addition of flocculants, polymers and water treatment chemicals. Process description: The waste water from the log wash cleaning system is diverted to a pit, where the water is pumped to a screen and later to an aeration tank, in order to minimize water storage in ponds.  At the same time this maximizes the treatment capacity so that and discharges to drainage areas are kept at a minimum. In the screening process, large particles are screened out and deposited in a separate bin, allowing the waste water to flow to the aeration tank, where the water is then introduced to  an aeration process, while keeping the solids suspended.  This process provides oxygen to the bacteria to aid in the clarification process. Following the aeration process the water is then pumped to the clarifier tank which removes the suspended matter and transfers this waste product back to the aeration tank.  The water then flows, by gravity, to the polishing tank where it is filtered and sterilized. The water leaves the polishing tank as clean water and is pumped back to the log wash. Mission accomplished! Fulghum Fibres remains committed to innovative ways to be better stewards of the environment and this new 100% water recycle system is another step in this direction! Water treamtment plant system process     Pit (receives the waste water from the Log Wash)   Pit sump pumps (pumps water to screen system)   Screen  (removes large particles)   Aeration tank (receiving waste water from screening tank)   Water Treatment Plant Cycle Filtration system (clean water entering polishing tank)   Log Wash