Domains
River engineering;Water / Wastewater treatment
Client
Agua y Saneamientos Argentinos S.A.
Time frame
Construction cost
$320'000'000
Services
- Client’s representative
- Independent Checking Engineer (ICE)
- High level supervision
- Project owner support
Phases
- Final design
- Construction design
- Construction
- Commissioning, completion
Services in JV with partners
The Project
The Riachuelo’ System in Buenos Aires is a mega project implemented by AySA S.A. This complex system will contribute to environmentally decontaminate the area of the Matanza-Riachuelo’ basin, one of the most contaminated areas in the world. The project is divided into several lots, 3 of which are interdependent and interconnected. In particular, it is Lot 1, the ‘Riachuelo Left Margin Collector’, which intercepts both industrial and civil wastewater and prevents it from entering the river. Lot 2, ‘the Water Treatment Plant’, deals with the primary treatment of wastewater. Finally, Lot 3, the ‘Outfall’, receives the pretreated water and discharges it by diffusion into the Río de la Plata’ estuary at a distance of approximately 12 km from the coast; the outfall will discharge up to 27 M3/s of treated liquid by gravity and using the dilution process to minimize any potential negative effect in the water body.
The silver river shines again
In South America, the Rio de la Plata (the Silver River) is the great estuary flowing between Buenos Aires and Montevideo. Some of its tributaries, such as the Riachuelo, are considered among the most polluted basins on earth, with millions living on its banks of unfiltered industrial sewage. Driven to put an end to this desperate situation, the local community has collaborated with the World Bank in this extensive restoration. The project is divided into several lots, 3 of which are interdependent and interconnected, presenting distinct engineering challenges. Lot 1, the ‘Riachuelo Left Margin Collector’, intercepts both industrial and civil wastewater, preventing it from entering the river. Lot 2, the ‘Plant for Water Pretreatment’, deals with the physical treatment of wastewater. And Lot 3, ‘Outfall’, receives the pre-treated water and discharges it by diffusion into the Río de la Plata 12 km from the coast.
Riachuelo binds land and water together, uniquely capturing the art of tunneling
As engineers, our daily work on this project was driven by passion, dedication, and innovation. My years of involvement in the design and execution of the underground works have been a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I owe considerable professional and personal growth to this project, and it’s been a privilege to have contributed its success.
