Utrecht, Netherlands
City population: 315851
Duration: 2009 – 2013
Implementation status: Completed
Scale: Micro-scale: District/neighbourhood level
Project area: 900000 m2
Type of area: Other
Last updated: November 2021

The Bio Washing Machine is a combination of an Aquifer Thermal Heat Storage (ATES) system and biological natural attenuation of groundwater and is thereby mainly focused on groundwater decontamination and energy storage. The ATES system accelerates the biological degradation of groundwater contamination and provides sustainable energy because cold water is pumped through buildings during the summer to cool the buildings and hot water during winter for heating. The groundwater decontamination measurements are aimed at protecting water in order to provide safe drinking water (ref. 1, 2, 3)

Overview

Nature-based solution

  • Green areas for water management
  • Sustainable urban drainage systems

Key challenges

  • Climate action for adaptation, resilience and mitigation (SDG 13)
  • Climate change adaptation
  • Water management (SDG 6)
  • Improvements to water quality
  • Environmental quality
  • Soil quality improvement
  • Air quality improvement
  • Sustainable consumption and production (SDG 12)
  • Sustainable production

Focus

Creation of semi-natural blue areas, Other

Project objectives

Main objective: Decrease soil contamination which improves groundwater quality and allow the urban developments around the central station including construction activities (ref. 1) Additional objectives: - Providing sustainable energy (ref. 1, 3) - CO2 reduction, as fossil fuels are no longer required to cool/heat buildings (ref. 1) - Optimize monitoring of contamination in order to research the effects of ATES on soil decontamination (scientific goal) (ref. 1, 3) - Cost reduction (as traditional groundwater contamination is more expensive) because the organic decontamination of groundwater takes a very long time because the contamination is unevenly spread and contaminated groundwater is not mixed with decontaminated ground water, which slows down the process. Because the ATES system accelerates the organic decontamination process, decontaminated groundwater no longer needs to be pumped and decontaminated which is very costly because a ground water pump should run for 20-30 years (ref, 1-4).

Implementation activities

ATES systems in new buildings surrounding Central Station of Utrecht (ref. 3) Stimulating biological attenuation (by means of construction and addition of organic substances) (ref. 3) Placement of 90 measurement tubes in Central Station area which measure the contamination concentration and bacterial population (ref. 3) Groundwater cleaning using energy efficient machinery (ref. 1)

Climate-focused activities

Climate change adaptation:

  • Implement sustainable urban drainage infrastructure (e.g. to make space for water)

Main beneficiaries

  • Local government/Municipality
  • Private sector/Corporate/Company
  • Researchers/University

Governance

Management set-up

  • Government-led

Type of initiating organisation

  • Regional government
  • Local government/municipality

Participatory approaches/ community involvement

  • Unknown

Details on the roles of the organisations involved in the project

The initiating actors were the Municipality of Utrecht and Province of Utrecht. Utrecht Municipality is the main directing actor that initiated the NBS and monitors the process. Therefore, the NBS can be considered government-led. Another governmental actor involved is the Hoogheemraadschap Stichtse Rijnlanden (Water Body) who agreed upon the plan regarding their concern of water contamination. Non-governmental actors involved are businesses in and around the central station; Hoog Catherine BV, Corio Nederland BV, NS Poort Ontwikkeling BV and Prorail BV who signed a declaration of intent and are also investing in the project (5). Also universities are involved, the University of Utrecht and the University of Wageningen who conduct research mainly regarding the functioning of the ATES in combination with soil decontaminatino and recommend the development of the Bio Washing Machine (ref. 4).

Project implemented in response to ...

... an EU policy or strategy? Unknown
... a national policy or strategy? Yes ('Wet Bodembescherming' (Law of Protection). The Bio Washing Machine follows the cluster approach as defined in article 42 (ref. 11))
... a local policy or strategy? Yes (The Bio Washing Machine is part of the 'Sanitation Plan' of the Municipality of Utrecht ('Protection, Improvement and Usage') which is focused on local approach to ground water contamination (ref. 12, 13))

Financing

Total cost

More than €4,000,000

Source(s) of funding

  • EU funds
  • Public local authority budget
  • Corporate investment

Type of funding

  • Direct funding (grants, subsidies, or self-financed projects by private entities)

Non-financial contribution

Unknown

Impacts and Monitoring

Environmental impacts

  • Climate change
  • Reduced emissions
  • Environmental quality
  • Improved soil quality
  • Water management and blue areas
  • Improved water quality
  • Increased protection against flooding

Economic impacts

  • Reduce financial cost for urban management

Socio-cultural impacts

  • Unknown

Type of reported impacts

Expected impacts, Achieved impacts

Presence of formal monitoring system

Yes

Presence of indicators used in reporting

Yes

Presence of monitoring/ evaluation reports

Yes

Availability of a web-based monitoring tool

No evidence in public records

References

1. Rijkswaterstaat. (n.d.). Pilot project 7: Aquifer Thermal Energy Storage. Available at: Source link (Accessed 26 July 2020)
2. Biowasmachine Stationsgebied Utrecht. (2011). [video] Utrecht: CU 2030. Available at: Source link (Accessed 26 July 2020)
3. Biowasmachine – Innovatie gemeente Utrecht. (2014). Utrecht: CU 2030. Available at: Source link (Accessed 26 July 2020)
4. Grotenhuis, T. (2015). Snellere grondwaterreiniging door warmte-koudeopslag. [online] Available at: Source link (Accessed 26 July 2020)
5. De Vries, A. (2016). Utrecht – Een biowasmachine in het Stationsgebied. [online]. Available at: Source link (Accessed 26 July 2020)
6. Rijkswaterstaat. (n.d.) City Chlor. [online]. Available at: Source link (Accessed 26 July 2020)
7. Gemeente Utrecht. (2016). Grondwater. [online] Available at: Source link (Accessed 26 July 2020)
8. Gemeente Utrecht. (2015). Grondwaterkwaliteit. [online] Available at: Source link (Accessed 26 July 2020)
9. De Vries, A. (2013). “Bio-washing machine and Bioprocess monitoring”. Utrecht: City of Utrecht. [pdf]. Available at:
Source link (Accessed 26 July 2020)
10. De Vries, A. (2013). Case study: Area-oriented approach & the urban development in Station area of Utrecht. Utrecht: City of Utrecht [pdf]. Available at: Source link (Accessed 26 July 2020)
11. City of Utrecht. (2009). "Het Utrechtse Stationsgebied geeft duurzame energie”. Utrecht: City of Utrecht. [pdf] available at Source link (Accessed 26 July 2020)
12. Gemeente Utrecht. (2015). Gebiedsplan gebiedsgericht grondwaterbeheer en visie op duurzaam gebruik van de ondergrond. [pdf] Available at Source link (Accessed 26 July 2020)
13. Gemeente Utrecht. (2009). Beschermen, verbeteren en benutten: Naar een gebiedsgerichte aanpak Grondwaterverontreinigingen in de ondergrond van Utrecht. Utrecht: Utrecht Municipality [pdf]. Available at: Source link (Accessed 26 July 2020)
14. Gemeente Utrecht (n.d.). Bodemenergie: vergunning of melding [online] Available at: Source link (Accessed 26 July 2020)