Water Milestones in China. With the Nanchang project, we became one of the first foreign companies to structure the financing of a project in the wastewater sector exclusively with Chinese banks.

Berlinwasser International operates a water treatment plant in Nanchang that treats 330,000 m³ of wastewater per day. The facility was constructed and financed in cooperation with a Chinese partner.

On 23 October 2004, the first construction section of the local water treatment plant built with Berlin know-how went into operation in the capital of the Chinese Jiangxi Province. The project is based on a BOT agreement signed in 2003 between the city of Nanchang and a consortium made up of Berlinwasser International, with an 80% share, and Beijing Urban Construction Group (BUCGT), with a 20% share.

The joint venture company Nanchang Qingshanhu Project Ltd. carried out the planning and construction of the facility under the direction of Berlinwasser International. The project has a 21.5 year term: 18 months for planning and construction and 20 years for operation. Through the project finance package set up with a Chinese Bank, the project was financed on a non-recourse basis with solely Chinese funds.

The first construction section encompasses a classic biological treatment plant with a dry weather capacity of 330 000 m³/d (mixed water capacity of the mechanical treatment phase is 990 000 m³/d). The main performance parameters are as follows (inflow/outflow):

• BOD 130/30mg/l
• SS 200/30 mg/l
• NH4-N 25/20 mg/l
• TP 2/1 mg/l

The process includes coarse and fine screening and aerated sand and grit catcher, activated sludge tank, sludge thickener, digestion and drainage. The stabilized and drained sludge is deposited at a disposal site.