Environmental audit for the compliance and registration of existing of power and water plants at Malé Aerated Waters Company Ltd. Thulushdhoo – K. Malé

Abstract

1. Malé Aerated Waters Company Pvt Ltd (MAWC), based in K. Thulusdhoo, requires registration of existing water production and power generation plants on their facility. As part of the registration process an Environmental Audit (EA) has to be undertaken as required under Schedule D of the Maldives Environmental Impact Assessment Regulation. 2. The Scoping Meeting for this audit was held at EPA on 10 March 2011 and was attended by the key stakeholders, EPA, Maldives Energy Authority, the proponent and the consultant. The approved TOR is given in Appendix 1. 3. At the time of establishment of MAWC, EIA regulation was not in force and so an EIA was no undertaken for the facility. However, in 2005, and later in 2010, an EIA was done for the construction of its service jetty and subsequently for its expansion. Those reports provide description of some of the operational features and their potential environmental impacts. Aspects relating to power generation and water production plants on the facility have not been addressed in these EIA reports. 4. This EA report concerns the status of the existing water production and power generation plants, documenting its operation, safety issues, and its potential environmental impacts and their possible mitigation measures. Owing to the nature of the operational requirement of the franchise agreements, it was found the MAWC maintains stringent measures on all of its processes including the water production and power generation plants. 5. Production of water and maintenance of its quality is of critical importance to their business as such a high consideration is given to ensure highest standards are maintained throughout all stages of water production. Source water for the desalination plant is drawn from deep underground through two bore-holes located close to the beach area at the service jetty. Water is initially passed through a series of sand filters reducing the TDS to < 2500 ppm. The water then undergoes further filtration and 3 different stages of desalination, gradually reducing the TDS to mere 24 ppm for carbonated Soft Drinking production and 2 ppm for package water production. During the process reject water at different stages of filtration and desalination is re-fed into the system to ensure optimal use of the water. Stringent quality control checks are done routinely throughout the process to ensure maintenance of highest standards. 6. The brine water is mixed with the outflow water used for cooling the power generators. This results in dilution of the brine to almost normal sea-water concentrations before being released into the lagoon. The outflow is located some 700 m from the service jetty in the deep lagoon (6-8 m) in front of the entrance channel. Mixing the brine with the return flow of the heated water slightly increase the temperature, but only 1-2 degrees above ambient temperature. The outflow water is mixed instantaneously with the lagoon water reducing the temperature to ambient levels immediately after its release. Roughly 200- 250 cubic meters of desalinated water is produced per day of which about 150-200 cubic meters used for bottling. 7. The power plant is located on the northern section of the MAWC compound. The power plant built at MAWC is powered by 4 Cummins brand diesel electric generators of 1500KVA, 750KVA, 450KVA and 250KVA and distribution equipment. The power generation equipment includes a powerhouse building, a fuel storage facility. The emission stacks are about 9 meters tall and four stacks are installed at the powerhouse. The average production is 560 kWh ranging from 300-900 kWh. Fuel consumption for the plants is about 100-200 L/h 8. Transport of fuel and its usage ensures highest standard of safety to avoid accidental spillage and leaks. Fuel is dispensed to the engines via tanks elevated to about 3 meter with bunded concrete tanks underneath. 9. With regards to safety issues, firefighting equipment was found to be in working condition and within the re-check date limit. Unfortunately there was no earth / lightening rod at the engine house. It was recommended that earth-rod be installed as soon as possible. 10. The team also noted that facility is currently undergoing the compliance process for ISO 14001 which will establish a framework for the conduct of environmental management by requiring the organization to define an Environmental Policy and to establish management procedures that support the policy. 11. The audit team concluded the environmental standards meet over and above the expected levels required by the existing government rules. No major issue was found that needs to be followed up.