Published on: 2026-04-13
Source: Saint Petersburg State Architectural and Construction University –
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April 9 was a day of deep immersion into the profession for students in the “Water Supply and Sewerage” program of the Faculty of Engineering Ecology and Urban Economy (FIEGU) at the Saint Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering. The future engineers were divided into two groups to see with their own eyes how the most complex water system of a megalopolis operates: from water intake from the Neva River to the return of treated effluents into the Gulf of Finland.
First stop: the historical heart of the city water supply
The first group of students went to the Main Water Supply Station – the oldest and at the same time one of the most technological enterprises of the city. The students studied the operation of the pumps of the first and second lifts, as well as modern filtration methods. Special attention was paid to quality control systems that ensure the safety of drinking water for millions of residents of St. Petersburg.
The guys visited the dispatch service post — the heart of the station, from where the control of water purification and distribution processes is carried out. The senior station masterKristina Sobolevaexplained the water purification technologies and water supply mode, the emergency situations that may arise while operating the pumps. Future engineers looked into every corner and received answers to all their questions.
Vodokanal
Special interest among students participating in the case championship on water intake facilities was caused by the headworks of water intake structures that provide water intake from the Neva River. Problems related to operation, as well as the impressive size of the structures, did not go unnoticed by the future engineers.
“Water is a living organism! You literally need to feel it in order to make prompt decisions in complex situations,” noted Kristina Soboleva.
The station has its own plans for the future: a promising development plan involves the construction of a modern water treatment unit that will replace the existing filtration systems. The enterprise also aims to replenish its staff with young personnel; experienced employees are ready to pass on accumulated knowledge, contributing to the formation of new professionals in the industry.
The main water supply station is rightly considered the historical heart of the city water supply. The symbol of this continuity became the museum “Universe of Water,” located in the building of the old water tower, and the oldest operating reservoir, built in 1859–1863. It is a place where the engineering traditions of the past continue to sustain the life of the modern metropolis.
Second stop: sanitation technologies in the US Southwest
The second group of students visited the South-Western treatment facilities (SWSF). This is the third largest treatment site in St. Petersburg, occupying an impressive area of 40 hectares. The station, put into operation on September 22, 2005, has become the most important ecological project for the preservation of the Baltic Sea.
YUZOS – secondary settler
The tour for the kids was conducted by the leading technologistMaria Aczol. She detailed each stage of the station’s operation: from mechanical and biological treatment to the final disinfection.
In addition to complex chemical processes and the operation of aerotanks, the speech also addressed pressing issues: Maria Acpol emphasized that the main “headache” of any treatment facilities is the population’s lack of basic hygiene literacy.
“The main problem that we deal with daily is rags, wet wipes, and cotton swabs that people throw into the sewer. This garbage not only clogs the pumps but also seriously complicates the purification process,” noted the expert.
The excursion to the UZSO was not limited to viewing the huge reservoirs. Students of FIEGH flooded Maria Vladimirovna with questions: they were interested in everything – from the subtleties of biochemical reactions in the aerotank to career prospects for young specialists. The system of biomonitoring of treated wastewater caused particular interest among the students. Here, the role of natural indicators is performed by crayfish equipped with highly sensitive cardio sensors. The method is based on the analysis of the animals’ heartbeat rhythm in real time: in the event of deviations in the qualitative indicators of the water from the norm, the system immediately notifies the dispatch service.The use of bioindicators allows guaranteeing the ecological safety of discharges and confirms the high efficiency of the applied purification technologies.
Such trips allow FIETH students to correlate textbook lines with the real scale of production facilities. Future specialists saw not just metal and concrete, but a complex organism ensuring the ecological safety of the region.
“It was very interesting to see with my own eyes the operation of such complex purification stages. We were told in detail about mechanical and biological water treatment and shown how everything is arranged: protective grids, sand traps, aeration tanks, sedimentation tanks. They went through different buildings and units, explained the entire path that water takes: from entering the station through all filtration stages to the final ultraviolet disinfection before discharge. The scale is impressive,” shared the impressions of a second-year student.Ivan Andreev.
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