GE to Supply Water Purification Technology for Beijing Olympic Games

GE, a worldwide partner of the Olympic Games, announced it will provide multiple technologies for China’s first rainwater recycling system. The new system will be located at Beijing’s National Stadium, the setting of the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.

“GE’s contribution to the building of the Beijing Games has been significant in many areas from venue construction to city infrastructure,” said Gerhard Heiberg, marketing commission chairman of the International Olympic Committee.

The National Stadium’s new rainwater recycling system will use underground pools that process up to 100 tons of rainwater per hour, 80 tons of which can be re-used for landscaping, fire-fighting and cleaning — a direct way to lower the stadium’s water consumption. GE’s technology is chemical-free and meets stringent environmental standards for indoor air quality and noise control.

“These advanced water treatment technologies are part of a larger effort to help Beijing implement an environmentally sustainable water management solution during the Games and beyond,” said Steve Bertamini, chairman and CEO of GE in Northeast Asia and China. “GE has been active in China for more than 100 years and we are extremely proud to continue supporting both the Games and China in its effort to adopt solutions that are more green.”

Highlights of other key GE water-related projects for the Beijing Games include:

• Supplying filtration technology for safe drinking water at National Stadium. The National Stadium will use GE’s water treatment technology during the Games to provide up to 16 tons of purified water per hour. The quality of the water meets the latest national standards. GE’s water filtration technologies stand out for their environmentally sound features, energy-efficiency and reliability.
• Providing filtering technology for Qinghe Wastewater Plant. In order to improve Beijing’s wastewater treatment capabilities, the waste water plant in Qinghe has adopted technology that will filter more than 80,000 cubic meters of waste water daily to be recycled to maintain landscaping during the Olympic Games. This system is designed to reduce costs and cut energy consumption by up to 30 percent over the next five years.

GE works closely with host countries, cities and organizing committees to provide infrastructure solutions for Olympic venues including power, lighting, water treatment, transportation and security, and to supply hospitals with ultrasound and MRI equipment to help doctors treat athletes.

Source: GE