Bocholt, Germany – November 2025 – Bocholt Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP), which serves over 100,000 residents and 500 local businesses, has successfully deployed ABB 3BHL000734P0003 Control Modules to upgrade its process control system. The deployment, part of the plant’s initiative to improve energy efficiency and meet Germany’s strict environmental regulations, addressed critical issues with legacy control components, including unreliable process monitoring, slow emergency response, and high maintenance requirements. Six months post-upgrade, the plant has achieved 99.99% operational reliability, a 22% reduction in energy consumption, and a 60% reduction in maintenance incidents—key milestones in its journey toward carbon neutrality.
The Challenge: Legacy Controls Jeopardize Treatment Reliability and Compliance
Bocholt WWTP processes over 45,000 cubic meters of wastewater daily, relying on precise control of aeration, flocculation, and sludge treatment processes to meet EU water quality standards. Prior to the upgrade, the plant used legacy control modules installed in 2015, which suffered from frequent component failures due to the harsh, humid environment. These failures led to unreliable monitoring of critical parameters such as dissolved oxygen (DO) levels and pH, increasing the risk of non-compliance with discharge regulations.
The legacy system’s slow emergency response time (up to 400ms) to process anomalies—such as sudden spikes in organic load—risked equipment damage and treatment process failures. The outdated modules also required frequent manual maintenance, with 32 maintenance incidents annually, leading to an annual maintenance cost of €320,000. Additionally, the inefficient control of aeration pumps and mixers resulted in high energy consumption, accounting for 70% of the plant’s total energy bill (€480,000 annually).
“Reliable process control is essential for wastewater treatment, where even minor disruptions can impact water quality and environmental compliance,” said Dr. Thomas Weber, Technical Director at Bocholt WWTP. “Our legacy control modules were unreliable and inefficient, leading to high costs and compliance risks. We needed a robust control solution that could withstand our harsh environment, optimize energy usage, and ensure precise process monitoring.”
The Solution: ABB 3BHL000734P0003’s Durability and Energy Optimization
After a thorough 8-week evaluation of control solutions from ABB, Siemens, and Endress+Hauser, Bocholt WWTP selected the ABB 3BHL000734P0003 Control Module for its exceptional durability, energy optimization features, and seamless integration with its SCADA system. The deployment was carried out in phases to ensure continuous wastewater treatment: first, upgrading the aeration control system during low-demand periods; second, training 25 operators and maintenance technicians on module operation and troubleshooting; and finally, full-scale rollout across all treatment processes over a three-month period with ABB’s technical team providing on-site support.
Key features of the ABB 3BHL000734P0003 that addressed Bocholt WWTP’s challenges include:
- Harsh Environment Durability: The 3BHL000734P0003 features a corrosion-resistant enclosure, galvanically isolated I/O channels, and IP67 protection class, making it ideal for the humid, chemical-rich environment of wastewater treatment plants. Its MTBF of 30 years ensures long-term reliability, even in extreme conditions.
- Precise Process Monitoring: Equipped with 16-bit analog-to-digital converters, the module delivers accurate monitoring of critical parameters such as DO levels (±0.01 mg/L accuracy) and pH (±0.02 accuracy). It supports MODBUS TCP/IP and BACnet protocols, enabling seamless integration with the plant’s SCADA system.
- Energy Optimization: The module integrates with ABB’s ACQ 580 water and wastewater drives, optimizing the operation of aeration pumps and mixers based on real-time process conditions. This reduces energy consumption by adjusting motor speed to match treatment demand.
- Rapid Emergency Response: With a response time of less than 20ms, the module enables fast detection and correction of process anomalies. It features built-in emergency shutdown capabilities, ensuring the safety of equipment and treatment processes.
The Results: Reliable Operations, Lower Costs, and Environmental Compliance
Six months after full deployment, the ABB 3BHL000734P0003 Control Modules have delivered transformative results for Bocholt WWTP:
| Metric |
Before 3BHL000734P0003 Deployment |
After 3BHL000734P0003 Deployment |
Improvement |
| Operational Reliability |
99.2% |
99.99% |
0.79% Increase (95% Reduction in Process Failures) |
| Annual Energy Consumption |
4,000 MWh |
3,120 MWh |
22% Reduction (€105,600 Annual Energy Savings) |
| Annual Maintenance Incidents |
32 |
13 |
60% Reduction (€128,000 Annual Maintenance Savings) |
| Emergency Response Time |
400ms |
20ms |
95% Reduction |
| Compliance Incident Risk |
Medium-High |
Low |
Elimination of Non-Compliance Penalty Risks |
“The ABB 3BHL000734P0003 has transformed our wastewater treatment operations,” said Dr. Thomas Weber. “The improved reliability has eliminated compliance risks, while the energy savings have advanced our carbon neutrality goals. The module’s durability has also reduced maintenance costs significantly. We plan to recommend this module to other wastewater treatment plants in North Rhine-Westphalia.”
Lena Schmidt, ABB’s Global Water and Wastewater Solutions Manager, commented: “Wastewater treatment plants face unique challenges, including harsh environments and strict regulatory requirements. The 3BHL000734P0003 Control Module is engineered to address these challenges, with its durable design, precise monitoring capabilities, and energy optimization features. Bocholt WWTP’s success demonstrates how this module can help water utilities improve operational efficiency, reduce costs, and achieve environmental sustainability.”
