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DEPUR PADANA ACQUE, forty years of innovation in wastewater treatment. Case study: PEDERSOLI MILANO laundry

by
MARZIO NAVA

For over forty years, Depur Padana Acque has been operating in the industrial water treatment sector, tackling one of the most delicate challenges for the Italian production system: of the most complex challenges facing Italian manufacturing today: treating wastewater efficiently, sustainably, and in compliance with increasingly stringent environmental regulations. Specialized in the design and construction of industrial purification plants, the company Depur Padana Acque has progressively established itself as a benchmark in the sector through continuous technological research and the development of highly customized solutions tailored to a wide range of industries.

From the food industry to textiles, from the chemical sector to industrial laundries, Depur Padana Acque has developed systems capable of adapting to the specific characteristics of each wastewater stream, with an approach that focuses not only on purification effectiveness but also on the energy and management optimization of the plants. A defining element of the company’s philosophy is the conviction that no single technology can be universally applied to every industrial context. Each plant is therefore engineered according to the composition of the wastewater, the available installation space, production requirements, and the client’s environmental objectives. This tailor-made approach has frequently positioned the company among the pioneers in the implementation of innovative treatment technologies. Alongside plant engineering, Depur Padana Acque has also built a highly specialized technical assistance network dedicated to ordinary and extraordinary maintenance activities. In a sector where operational continuity and compliance with environmental parameters are essential, after-sales support represents a strategic asset.

MBR System

A key innovation is the Membrane Bio Reactor (MBR) system, a leading technology for biological wastewater treatment. Utilizing ultrafiltration membranes, with extremely fine porosity, MBR systems produce high-quality purified water by retaining suspended solids, bacteria, and pathogens. This is particularly advantageous for industrial laundries due to high daily water volumes and stringent discharge quality requirements. MBR systems also offer significant space savings compared to traditional methods, making them ideal for industrial areas with limited space and for revamping existing facilities.

By maintaining high concentrations of active biomass within the biological compartment, MBR plants can be designed in much more compact configurations. This allows revamping and upgrading interventions even in facilities where available space is limited - an increasingly valuable feature given the rising cost of industrial real estate and the need to optimize production areas.

The quality of the treated water also creates important opportunities for water reuse. In a context increasingly marked by climate change and recurring water shortages, the ability to recover and reuse treated water within production processes represents a strategic advantage both environmentally and economically.

“Advanced MBR Technology with two ECOBLOCK Modules at PEDERSOLI MILANO”

Case study: the Bareggio plant

Within this framework, the project developed for Pedersoli Milano took shape. The company, active in the industrial laundry sector for luxury hospitality, decided to invest in a new wastewater treatment plant for its production facility in Bareggio, near Milan - the largest site within its industrial network.

The project was driven by the objective of further strengthening the site’s environmental standards while adopting technologies capable of ensuring high purification efficiency, operational reliability, and long-term sustainability. For Depur Padana Acque, the project represented a particularly complex engineering challenge, constrained by space limitations within the production area. The solution was therefore developed through a highly customized design approach tailored specifically to the client’s operational requirements.

In this context, the use of ECOBLOCK modules proved decisive. These prefabricated modular systems enable highly flexible plant configurations and allowed the treatment system to be perfectly integrated into the existing spaces without requiring invasive construction work.
The plant installed in Bareggio is an MBR biological membrane system composed of two coupled ECOBLOCK modules, each measuring 3,6 meters in diameter and 11 meters in length. One of the modules houses the ultrafiltration compartment consisting of hollow fiber membranes.

“The plant complies with
4.0 Transition
requirements and Hyper Amortization”

Particular attention was also paid to the management of excess sludge, i.e., the excess bacterial biomass generated by the biological process. The plant is equipped with a mechanical dewatering section based on screw technology with floating discs, capable of significantly reducing the residual moisture content of the sludge. This solution allows for reducing the volumes destined for disposal and, consequently, the related logistical and environmental costs. From an operational standpoint, the treatment plant is fully automated and integrated into the company’s data network. The system enables remote monitoring and teleassistance, ensuring rapid intervention and maximum operational continuity. These characteristics also allowed the investment to qualify under the incentives provided by the 4.0 Industry Transition Plan for innovative industrial equipment.

Today, the collaboration between Depur Padana Acque and Pedersoli Milano represents a concrete example of how technological innovation can transform industrial wastewater management into a strategic pillar of corporate sustainability. It is a model that successfully combines production efficiency, reduced environmental impact, and strategic water resource recovery - key elements for future industrial policies. •

DEPUR PADANA ACQUE SRL
Viale Maestri del Lavoro, z.i. Borsea
45100 Rovigo RO – Italy
T. +39 0425 472211
info@depurpadana.it | depurpadana.com

DETERGO MAGAZINE # JUNE 2026

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June 2026

DEPUR PADANA ACQUE, forty years of innovation in wastewater treatment. Case study: PEDERSOLI MILANO laundry