Eurodam to Have Advanced Wastewater Treatment System

Simplified system schematic

Eurodam is being outfitted with an advanced wastewater treatment system built by Hamworthy Group of the United Kingdom that will be capable of treating both black water (sewage) and gray water (from sinks, showers, laundry and galleys) to near drinking water quality.

We checked in with Jeen Bakker, manager of technical operations for Holland America Line, to find out how it works.

According to Bakker, the system uses membrane bioreactor technology in conjunction with filtration technology. Following an initial filtering process that removes most solids, the effluent is pumped into a biomass chamber where micro-organisms set to work breaking down organic solids into water and carbon dioxide. The system can treat more than 900 cubic meters of effluent per day.

Hamworthy’s system has been installed on Regent Seven Seas and Princess Cruises vessels. Bakker said it is similar to advanced wastewater treatment systems installed on other Holland America vessels, but “the setup of the system is different.”

The Hamworthy system is designed to exceed the highest standards in the maritime industry. Those standards, known as Code of Federal Regulations Title 30 Part 133, were set by the U.S. legislature to cover the discharge of treated water in U.S. inland waters like, for instance, Alaska. Federal cruise ship legislation Section 1404 (commonly called the “Murkowski regulations” after Alaska’s former governor), and the Alaskan State House Bill 260 also apply.

To give you an idea of how tight those regulations are, we can compare them with those set by the U.S. Coast Guard and the International Maritime Organization. USCG allows 150 milligrams/liter of solids in treated discharge effluent, and IMO allows 50 mg/liter. The Murkowski regulations allow only 30 milligrams, and Hamworthy’s system brings that down to 7 mg. While USCG regulations for fecal coliform bacteria allow 250 organisms per 100 milliliters of effluent, and IMO allows 200, the federal regulations allow only 20, but Hamworthy comes in at just three organisms per 100 ml. In addition, the Murkowski regulations also set low levels for chlorine content and pH balance, which neither the IMO or USCG rules address.