Wastewater pretreatment reduces costs at fish processing facility
Hätälä Oy reduces wastewater costs and impurities with a local pretreatment solution. Finland’s leading fish producer implements modular, automated wastewater pretreatment plant to treat up to 130 000 m³ annually. The system delivers 25% cost savings, significantly lowers impurities and prevents sewer blockages.
Site description
A fish processing facility needed a local pretreatment solution to reduce wastewater costs and meet environmental requirements. The site processes large volumes of wastewater containing solids, fats, oils and grease. Pretreatment was needed to reduce strain on the municipal network, prevent blockages and lower overall treatment fees.
- Wastewater treated up to 130 000 m³/year
- Sludge generated up to 500–1 000 tons/year
- WTP flow capacity 300 m³/h
Project highlights
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Who – A fish production site operating year-round with high seasonal variations in load.
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What – A fully automated, modular pretreatment plant delivered as a turnkey service.
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Where – Finland
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When – 2018 and is still active.
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Why – To reduce pollutant loads, eliminate sewer blockages, and enable cost-efficient wastewater management using a containerised system supported by expert process operation and remote monitoring.


The challenge
Before installation, Hätälä channelled untreated wastewater directly to the municipal plant. This led to:
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High wastewater fees per cubic meter
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Frequent blockages in the municipal sewer system caused by fats, oils, grease and solids
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A need for a dependable, hands‑off solution adaptable to seafood industry flows
The solution
The customer expected a turnkey system that would significantly reduce pollutant loads and operating costs.
Owatec delivered a fully automated wastewater pretreatment plant.
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Modular sea‑container units including screening, chemical treatment, flotation and geotube filtration
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Plug‑and‑play design allowing fast installation and minimal infrastructure requirements
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Full remote monitoring via Owatec Eye – online platform
This all‑in‑one service was piloted and tested to ensure reliable operation and pollutant removal.
Customer Benefit
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25% reduction in wastewater treatment costs annually
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Impurities removal rates (solids 96 %, COD 86 %, phosphorus 70 %)
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Prevented sewer blockages and associated maintenance headaches
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Sludge repurposed as biogas feedstock, facilitating circular economy objectives
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Minimal on-site supervision required thanks to remote automation and process analytics
”The wastewater treatment process solution by Owatec is innovative, and the process is running smoothly. We have gained both savings and lower impurities levels.”
Riku Isohätälä, CEO Hätälä Oy