As part of the massive, nationwide effort to upgrade infrastructure in time for the FIFA World Cup 2018 (concluded last month), the Cosmos Arena Water Treatment Plant in Samara, Russia, went online in July 2018. Like many of the soccer stadiums, the plant’s concrete tanks and water chambers are assured a long life thanks to Penetron crystalline technology.
After a thoroughly entertaining tournament full of stunning upsets and spectacular goals, last month’s FIFA World Cup™ ended with France holding the trophy. The teams are gone, but the PENETRON ADMIX-treated stadiums – and infrastructure – will remain for decades to come.
“Like almost all of the FIFA World Cup 2018 stadiums across Russia that Penetron helped build, the water treatment plant for the Cosmos Arena is located in close proximity to a river,” says Robert Revera, President and CEO of The Penetron Group. “Confronted with the resulting high-water table, these projects benefited from Penetron crystalline materials as a reliable waterproofing solution. This ensures enhanced concrete durability and a longer life cycle for the enormous concrete structures.”
The Cosmos Arena Water Treatment Plant provided a steady supply of water to soccer fans during the World Cup games and also expanded the city’s previous water treatment capacity. The new plant features a modern filtration system with sedimentation tanks and ultraviolet disinfection to comply with the increased water quality standards.
NSF-61-Certified for Potable Water Use
PENETRON ADMIX was added to the concrete mixed for the water storage tanks and water filtration chambers of the new Cosmos Arena water treatment facility at the Cosmos Arena, which treats millions of gallons of water every day.
“The Penetron crystalline technology used in the concrete tanks and filtration chambers is NSF-61-certified for use with potable water. The waterproofed concrete also helps to enhance the efficiency of the plant’s purification technology,” adds Christopher Chen.
Stadiums are Here to Stay
Here we look at a few of the Penetron-treated stadiums that have already seen action after the World Cup 2018, welcoming a new generation of soccer fans inspired by this summer’s FIFA World Cup:
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Samara’s Cosmos Arena, Samara – looks like an airline terminal and a flying saucer; the stadium hosted six World Cup games, including England’s 2-0 quarter-final victory over Sweden. The local team, Krylia Sovetov, has already opened the current season in their new home.
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Baltic Arena, Kaliningrad – the farthest west of all the 12 World Cup stadiums, it hosted crowds of over 35,000 during the tournament; around 10,000 seats have been removed to accommodate the local team, Baltika Kaliningrad; Penetron also treated the adjacent wastewater treatment plant.
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Kazan Arena, Kazan – located on the banks of the Volga River, now known as the ‘graveyard of champions’ because Germany, Argentina and Brazil (with 11 World Cup titles between them) all crashed out of the World Cup 2018 at this venue; it is now home to Rubin Kazan, the illustrious local team that has defeated both Barçelona and Liverpool in the past.
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Ekaterinburg Arena, Ekaterinburg – so far east that it’s actually in Asia, the venue was temporarily expanded to 35,000 (World Cup minimum seating) and now seats 23,000 for FC Ural Yekaterinburg. The new stadium is much larger than its predecessor and kept only the neo-Classicist façade; the adjacent underground parking garage was also treated with Penetron crystalline technology.
“These large sports stadium projects – and the accompanying infrastructure – have become a specialty for Penetron,” adds Robert Revera. “They are complex and costly and demand crucial experience. These are exactly the areas in which we’ve had great success keeping projects on track and on budget.”
Ready to play: With a 45,000-seat capacity and the world’s largest (4,030 m2) outdoor high-def screen, the Kazan Arena used PENETRON materials during renovation to repair cracked concrete structures.
Penetron has landed: Both the concrete foundation and the adjacent water treatment plant of the Cosmos Arena in Samara, which looks much like a flying saucer, were treated with PENETRON ADMIX.
