Vacuum Sewerage Systems for Marina’s and Port Facilities - Flovac Sistema de Alcantarillado por Vacío

Vacuum sewerage systems are ideal for use in Marinas and Ports regardless of the size of the facility. The Flovac system can capture sewage and bilge water from the boats and from restaurants, hotels and commercial buildings around the marina complex.

Port Vell Barcelona

Vacuum systems can handle either small or luxury boats, larger commercial vessels or ferries.

An easy coupling attached to a flexible hose can be attached to the vessels sewage holding tank. The manual or automatic on/off switch can also be timer controlled, coin or card operated or remotely electrically controlled.

Larger boats can pump out into a collection pit connected to sufficient Flovac valves to handle the volume.

The valve/hose operation is pneumatic, and no electrical power is required on the dock which ensures a safe operation of the facility. All facilities can be hidden under the dock or locked up in cabinets.

The vacuum pump station which generates the negative pressure through the system can be located discretely within the marina complex. A separate system handles the bilge water which can treat the Bilge water.

All wastewater is then discharged to the city’s sewer or treatment plant.

User Pays and Environmental Certificates

Environmental regulators now require many boat owners to provide a MARPOL certificate from the marina showing that they have discharged their wastewater at the marina and have not dumped it at sea or in the harbour.

A vacuum system can easily monitor volumes and can also arrange for metering of discharges to generate revenue for the marina.

Magayacht connected to Flovac vacuum sewer system at Port Vell, Barcelona

Ease of Installation

All pipework within the marina area is small diameter and can be laid at a fairly flat grade in trenches or pinned underneath the docks. As all pipework is under a negative pressure it can be laid in the same trench as water supply or power supply as no wastewater can leak out of the pipe. This reduces the time for installation of pipework and the amount of trenching that is required.

Look how it works

Marina Real Juan Carlos I

As no wastewater can leak out of the vacuum pipework it means that there is no contamination in the water at the marina which is important if it is in a tourist area. This also means that there are no odours related to the system which again is very important when you have restaurants near the boat facilities.

This ease of installation is also very important when installing sewerage networks at large commercial ports. Flexibility is needed when extending area’s or adding on extra commercial buildings to the port area. Flovac have been involved in a number of commercial industrial ports that are involved with Container Ships, Ports for the Mining Industry and Fisheries.

Real Time Monitoring

The Flovac Monitoring System can also remotely check on the status of the system any potential overflows or operational problems. Monitoring can also detect unauthorized use and energy costs. For some owners, remote operation of the system is also possible.