Cemex play key role in Austerlitz Storage Basin project
Company provides logistics services and concrete for the construction of the Austerlitz Basin in Paris
CEMEX have played a key role in the construction of a wastewater storage basin located near Paris’ Gare d’Austerlitz railway station, developed to prevent discharge from going into the river Seine. In this large-scale project, the global building materials supplier transported excavated materials away by river and supplied concrete needed for its construction.
The Austerlitz Storage Basin, which was inaugurated last May, is an impressive cylinder measuring 50m in diameter and more than 30m deep, having the capacity to store more than 50,000m3 of water. Wastewater is transferred to the basin through newly constructed underground tunnels and two water collector wells. In the event of rainfall, the wastewater is then gradually reintegrated into the sewer networks, where it is transported to a treatment plant.
Historically, part of the wastewater was discharged directly into the Seine, but this practice will now be largely avoided through this infrastructure’s storage solutions.
To support this project, Cemex delivered 30,000m3 of concrete to the Impluvium consortium, who were entrusted with the construction works. This concrete was supplied from the company’s Ivry-sur-Seine and Paris Tolbiac production units and was used to construct the facility’s diaphragm walls, two collector wells, and 60m high barrettes, which play a crucial role in supporting the structure of the basin.
In addition, Cemex transported 128,000 tonnes of construction, demolition, and excavation materials (CDEW) away from site through their river operations. Of this volume, 58,000 tonnes were transported to the company’s quarries in its Normandy and Seine upstream sectors, while the remaining 70,000 tonnes were directed to a facility in Bruyères-sur-Oise, around 40km north of Paris, where soil and sediments were treated and sorted. This operation was supported by Charier, who excavated the earthworks, and Extract, part of the Vinci Group, who were responsible for the management of the soil.
The implementation of the Austerlitz Basin has already provided many benefits for the city. This includes helping to enable athletes to swim in the Seine during last Summer’s international sporting competitions, and also allowing the inhabitants of Paris to indulge in future swimming activities in the river.
Michel Andre, Cemex’s vice-president of materials for Western Europe, said: ‘We are honoured to have played a significant role in the Austerlitz Basin project, which is helping to prevent wastewater discharge from going into the river Seine through its remarkable water storage and management solutions. This project has also helped to make the Seine swimmable during the international sporting competitions and beyond.
‘Cemex continue to be at the forefront of developing building materials solutions for large-scale infrastructure projects, which are helping to drive positive impact on large urban areas such as Paris, and its populations.’
