Drilling for the Environment: so the Cycle Doesn’t Collapse

No life without water. Even although two thirds of the earth consists of water, it is necessary to utilize this resource with consideration. The project “PTAR Salitre” in the Colombian capital of Bogotá is well aware of this responsibility. Through the expansion of the waste water treatment plant “El Salitre” they are trying to reduce the contamination of the Río Bogotá through the treatment of waste water. The river rises to the north of Bogotá and becomes a famous attraction shortly after El Charquito. Here the water spectacularly plunges 150 m at the waterfall “Salto del Tequendama”. Unfortunately, it is also one of the most contaminated rivers in South America.

The population of Bogotá is growing at a rapid pace. One of the reasons is certainly the rural exodus. Approximately 75 per cent of all Colombians live in towns. This development also means that the infrastructure must be considerably improved.

The waste water from about two million inhabitants of north and central Bogotá flows to the waste water treatment plant El Salitre. Thanks to the improvements, the amount of water treated can be nearly doubled. One of the contractors, the local company Botero Ingenieros, is successfully applying the piling and drilling rig LRB 355 from Liebherr for the foundation work.

A Question of Responsibility

The LRB 355 is installing 1,879 foundation piles using full displacement drilling equipment. In the course of the whole project it will drill a total of 62,000 metres into the deep. The piles have a diameter of 600 mm and reach depths between 31 and 36 m. Due to the impressive performance of the Liebherr machine, Botero Ingenieros can complete the work in only 8 months. Construction started in March 2018.

Following treatment in El Salitre, the water flows into the Río Bogotá. After the development is completed, the contamination can be reduced to a level that can be managed by the river itself. Due to the reduced contamination, the water can be sensibly reused in future, e.g. for grazing animals or agricultural purposes.

We can avoid a fatal collapse in the environmental cycle with this sustainable management of valuable resources. That is our responsibility towards future generations: to ensure the Blue Planet remains blue.