RTC4Water and Rittmeyer AG have signed an agreement to offer RTC4Water’s Global Predictive Controller® software to Swiss sewer network operators. In Switzerland, approximately 3 - 4% of untreated wastewater overflows into lakes, streams or rivers during periods of rain. This overflow can include high concentrations of problematic substances such as pesticides, biocides and pharmaceuticals. To reduce these overflows as much as possible, RTC4Water has developed a fully autonomous, predictive software solution that optimizes the control of overflow basins typically found in combined sewer networks.
Rittmeyer AG, a subsidiary of the BRUGG Group, develops and delivers custom measurement and control technology solutions for energy and water suppliers, hydropower plants and wastewater treatment plants. Already a leader in the field, Rittmeyer AG will now be able to offer its Swiss clients one of the most advanced network optimization tools currently on the market. Dr. David Dürrenmatt, Head of Process and Environmental Technology at Rittmeyer, explains; “With RTC4Water we have found the right partner to offer our customers, and the entire Swiss wastewater industry, a clever solution designed to help them efficiently manage the basins in their sewage networks while also taking into account pollutant loads. In this way, mixed sewer water discharges into receiving waters will be sustainably and economically reduced.”
For RTC4Water, this partnership will provide the company with an invaluable opportunity to improve its wastewater expertise and further advance the technical capabilities of the software. Dr. Georges Schutz, Managing Director of RTC4Water, expressed his enthusiasm for the partnership in the following way: “With Rittmeyer AG, we have a partner at our side who is well established in the Swiss wastewater treatment market, who regularly inspires their customers with innovative solutions, and who naturally brings a high level of expertise to the table. For us this is an important step forward. For many countries, including Switzerland, it is becoming increasingly important to look for economic ways to reduce sewer overflows. RTC4Water's intelligent, predictive software helps communities of all sizes get a better grip on this problem”.
Across Europe, many wastewater administrators are now turning their attention to the tracking of these overflow events to better understand their frequency and impact on the environment. Topics such as climate change and the environmental impact of emerging pollutants such as pharmaceuticals, personal care products (PCPs), pesticides and, more recently, microplastics, will mean that all wastewater operators – in addition to the already demanding work of managing their wastewater treatment plants - will need to consider the full impact of sewage overflows more closely than before. EurEau, the European federation of national associations of water services, has an excellent paper on the topic of sewer overflows which can be found here.
Since 2012, RTC4Water pioneered the use of Real-Time Control software for the optimization of wastewater networks in Luxembourg. If your organization or municipality would like to learn more about protecting lakes and streams from sewer overflows, please do not hesitate to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
