Beci visited Vivaqua to find out more about its plant in Anderlecht. Built in 2020, it manufactures shells to extend the life of Brussels sewers, without having to replace them. A first in Belgium.
Since 2015, Vivaqua has been looking for a solution to modernise and rehabilitate the capital's sewer network, without having to resort to heavy and costly worksites. Given the wear and tear on the pipes and budgetary constraints, the Belgian company responsible for producing and distributing drinking water, opted for an alternative: to produce in-house shells made of glass fibre and sand-reinforced polyester. These are inserted directly into existing pipes, extending their lifespan by 70 years without the need for demolition or replacement.
‘This is a new activity for Vivaqua and a first in Belgium: a shell factory for sewer renovation. It's also a project that is economically, operationally and environmentally responsible', reports Laurence Bovy, Director General.
Know-how mastered from start to finish
Built in the midst of the Covid crisis and at the heart of the Vivaqua site in Anderlecht, the plant is running at full capacity. ‘We decided to manufacture these expensive materials ourselves,’ explains Olivier Broers, director of research, logistics and the laboratory. The manufacturing process is meticulous: sand, glass fibre and resin are carefully assembled, then placed in rotating moulds calibrated to the correct thickness. Each shell, weighing between 250 and 300 kilos, then passes through a cutting workshop before being subjected to a rigorous inspection. ‘Every 100 shells, we destroy one to make sure it meets our quality standards,’ explains Olivier Broers. Once validated, they are delivered to the contractors responsible for rehabilitating the sewers.
In the plant, around thirty employees take it in turns to produce up to nine shells a day, a pace that speeds up the modernisation of the 223 kilometres of network still to be renovated. ‘We've already restored more than 200 km, but we still have as much to do,’ Olivier Broers adds.
An industry with roots in Brussels
Beyond the technical aspects, this project meets economic and environmental challenges. Producing locally reduces import costs and limits the carbon footprint. The plant, set up on an existing site, is also part of a strategy to optimise infrastructure. Workers were trained on site: ‘We had to learn everything and put in place new expertise in a year and a half’, the laboratory manager recalls.
For Beci, this visit shows the importance of supporting companies that innovate in the management of public services. In fact, it was during a meeting organised by Beci that Vivaqua was able to strengthen its collaboration with its partners. Proof, if proof were needed, that dialogue between economic and institutional players opens the way to sustainable solutions for Brussels.