Haskoning Announces First Full-Scale Ephyra Sludge Digestion Project In Canada

International engineering firm, Haskoning, is set to implement its innovative Ephyra sludge digestion technology in Courtice for the Regional Municipality of Durham in Ontario, Canada. By retrofitting existing infrastructure, it will significantly boost the region’s sludge digestion capacity and efficiency.

Driven by rapid population growth in the Greater Toronto area, the Regional Municipality of Durham is experiencing a significant rise in wastewater and sludge volumes. Traditionally, meeting these demands would require the construction of new, large-scale digesters, incurring substantial capital expenditure and lengthy planning and regulatory approvals.

Ephyra offers a transformative alternative by allowing the Region of Durham to expand its processing capacity without building new assets. The technology enables the conversion of existing digesters into a high efficiency configuration, effectively doubling processing capacity within the same physical footprint.

Innovative phase separation
Although new to the Canadian market, Ephyra has already been successfully selected or implemented at 18 full-scale facilities across Europe, where it has proven to enhance both digestion capacity and gas production. At the heart of the Ephyra system is a unique configuration which divides an existing digester into three distinct compartments. Each compartment is designed to target different microbial processes in the breakdown of sludge – a method known as ‘phase separation’. This approach enables faster and more efficient digestion.

Danny Traksel, Sales Director BioResources at Haskoning, commented: "Ephyra allows municipalities to both significantly increase their sludge processing capacity without major new investments, and dramatically improve operational benefits by producing more biogas and breaking down more sludge. This project demonstrates how cutting-edge technology can overcome regulatory and capacity challenges while ensuring long-term environmental compliance and efficiency for communities."

Successful pilot at Waterloo WWTP
Ephyra was successfully piloted in a project with the Region of Waterloo at the Waterloo Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP). This initiative was supported and validated by independent third-party analysis from the University of Waterloo and led by Professor Wayne Parker, a leading professional in Canadian sludge management. The results confirmed Ephyra's strong performance and reliability.

Additionally, Ephyra’s phase separation technology led to a 15 - 25% increase in biogas production and a 20 - 40% improvement in sludge breakdown compared to conventional digestion methods. These gains translate into higher operational revenues from renewable energy generation and lower costs for sludge disposal.

For the implementation of Ephyra at Courtice Water Pollution Control Plant (WPCP), Haskoning will work together with CIMA+, a leading Canadian consultancy firm. CIMA+ has expressed strong enthusiasm for the project and sees significant potential for Ephyra across Ontario and Canada. “We see tremendous value in this technology for wastewater treatment plants throughout the Greater Toronto area,” said Troy Briggs, Executive Vice President of Infrastructure, at CIMA+. “Whether retrofitting aging infrastructure, expanding capacity at existing facilities, or designing new plants.”

About Ephyra
Ephyra is a compact and sustainable technology for sludge digestion. It offers cost-effective digestion technology with significantly more sludge degradation, high biogas yields, better final dewatering and lower polymer usage – all within the smallest footprint. Building on the proven success of Nereda, Carrousel, and Aquasuite, Ephyra is another standout innovation in Haskoning’s portfolio of cutting-edge water technologies. For more information, visit www.haskoning.com/ephyra

About Haskoning
Haskoning is an independent international consultancy that combines engineering, design and consultancy services with software and technology. Based on our mission Enhancing Society Together, we take responsibility for having a positive impact on the world and contributing to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Our 6,800 people are spread across offices in more than 25 countries worldwide – working together with clients on future-proof solutions. As of 1981 we are a Royal company, as designated by the Royal House of the Netherlands. For more information, visit www.haskoning.com