OREANDA-NEWS. Oskol Electrometallurgical Plant (part of Metalloinvest) has put into operation a modernised sewage water cleaning facility. The new technology allows enhancing significantly the quality of sewage water treatment, decreasing twice the volumes of river water intake, and reducing sewage water discharge to Oskol river.

Commissioning of the sewage water cleaning facility is one of the key measures to reduce the negative environmental impact at OEMK this year. Total expenses on project implementation amounted to 210 million roubles.

Metalloinvest (the Company) made the decision to upgrade the facility following the introduction of the Water code and the classification of Oskol river in the highest category of commercial fishing waters, which subsequently led to stricter requirements for sewage water quality. By introducing the new technology, the Company fully complied with the new regulations that prescribe a level of fluoride ions of 0.23 milligrams per cubic decimetre.

Nikolay Shlyakhov, Managing Director of OEMK, commented: “Water that we currently discharge is cleaner than the water in the river. From the environmental point of view, the commissioning of the water cleaning system is an important event for the OEMK. Oskol river is rated as commercial fishing zone, and the pollutant discharge standards are now ten times tighter. In addition, the volume of river water intake will decrease twofold and there will be a 50 percent decrease of sewage water discharged into the river, as the part of water will come to the plant's water revolving cycle. “

The facility uses the latest two-stage reverse osmosis system. It is a comprehensive system, which covers water treatment stages from pre-treatment to hyper filtration and ensures the minimal levels of water salinity.