The Aquavia project aimed at sustainably exploiting the waters of Lake Neuchâtel is entering its study phase with a view to starting work in 2026. Led by the municipality of Estavayer (FR), ArroBroye and Groupe E, it represents an investment of 160 million.
The project partners wish to continue to pool their strengths in order to meet the region’s needs for drinking water, raw water for agricultural irrigation as well as heating and cooling for comfort. The start of studies is planned for next year, they recently told the press in Estavayer-le-Lac.
Aquavia brings together three partners with distinct needs, but ‘nurturing the same ambition’: to share a common basic infrastructure necessary for all, using the same resource, the water from Lake Neuchâtel. Launched in 2020, the project has been resized and refined with a view to entering its implementation phase.
Inquiry
On the basis of the feasibility studies initiated two years ago, the steering committee decided to continue and enter fully into the pre-project study phase. The next stage of this major project should lead to the investigation procedure planned for 2025.
In the meantime, the partners will have to draw up tripartite agreements to define their financial commitments and their responsibilities. On the side of the inter-municipal association ArroBroye, the commitments of all farmers interested in the irrigation of their plots will have to be ratified.
For its part, Groupe E will launch the marketing of district heating connections (CAD) in the areas concerned from 2023. Customer feedback will be paramount for the rest of the project, he warns. The municipality will for its part submit to the vote a study credit to the General Council during 2023.
Des synergies
Aquavia intends to achieve synergies between three distinct projects. Firstly, the municipality of Estavayer is developing a project for a new treatment plant which should ensure the safety of drinking water supply in the municipality by doubling the current capacity.
Next, ArroBroye wants to set up an agricultural irrigation network in the Vaud and Friborg Broye. The objective is to be able to put an end to the pumping in the rivers of the region, while maintaining agricultural production in the long term.
Finally, Groupe E aims to build a new heat and cold supply network for residential and industrial districts located around the station. As a reminder, Aquavia was resized following the withdrawal in 2021 of Estavayer Lait SA (Elsa), Migros’ milk processing plant.
Dual role
The project foresees the construction of a main station connected to a new water intake to the lake, located regarding 40-50 meters deep. Part of the water will first be treated to make it drinkable, then routed to a 2,500 cubic meter reservoir that will supply the region’s drinking water network.
Raw water will fulfill a dual role. It will fill a 1,360 cubic meter reservoir connected to the ArroBroye irrigation network and will supply the energy needed for the energy artery to be built by Group E, connected to three energy production and distribution plants equipped with heat pumps.
The infrastructure will be able to provide 36 gigawatt hours (GWh) of energy in total, ie 27 GWh of heat and 9 GWh of cold. According to Groupe E, a company active mainly in the cantons of Friborg and Neuchâtel, Aquavia represents an opportunity to materialize a project driving the energy transition.
/ATS
