Dewatering projects in Rio de Janeiro

TenCate Geosynthetics, in partnership with Allonda Comercial de Geossintéticos Ambientais ltda in Brazil, is involved in two large dewatering projects. The projects relate to the cleaning up of the Canal do Fundão near Rio de Janeiro and the removal and dewatering of polluted sedimates at Sepetiba Bay, which is just west of the capital.

Dewatering with TenCate Geotube® technology is an effective, strong and sustainable solution. A sediment layer with polluted heavy metals is brought to the surface, treated with polymers, and dewatered and stored in TenCate Geotube® containers. The clean filtered water is returned to the original body of water. When it comes to costs, TenCate Geotube® technology is an attractive alternative to traditional hydraulic engineering structures.

The second largest undertaking in the southern hemisphere in which TenCate Geotube® containers have been used relates to the Canal do Fundão near Rio de Janeiro (Brazil). In the course of time this 6.5 km-long canal became polluted due to the dumping of petrochemical residues around the island of Fundão. The Canal do Fundão will have been cleaned by mid-2011 with the natural circulation of clean water restored.

Meanwhile, at Sepetiba Bay, just to the west of Rio de Janeiro, a similar project is being completed. This involves the removal and dewatering of more than 550,000 m3 of sediment polluted with PCBs (toxic organochlorine compounds) and heavy metals. This contaminated waste will be dewatered and stored in TenCate Geotube® containers, filtered and dewatered. The cleaning up is necessary because a new naval base is to be built in this bay. In mid-March this substantial project is brought to a successful conclusion – effectively, profitably and with a minimum of  impact on the environment.