What is your opinion regarding the effect that new wastewater systems should be constructed to TOTALLY ELIMINATE ALL ORGANIC SLUDGE (so there is...

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What is your opinion regarding the effect that new wastewater systems should be constructed to TOTALLY ELIMINATE ALL ORGANIC SLUDGE (so there is absolutely no hauling away sludge, totally eliminating all methane release into the atmosphere) and the wastewater EFFLUENT SHOULD HAVE THE QUALITY THAT IS 100% RE-USABLE, even potable? Wouldn’t this make a major impact on the environment, on climate changes, and effect the planet more positively with the incredible reduction of carbon related emissions?

3 Comments

  1. Hi Alan,

    If you are also implying that all organic sludge be made 100% re-usable then absolutely Yes!

    This is what Nature has been doing since day dot.

    Afterall, the physico-chemical ability to address humanity's added toxins before re-use is available, its just that 'drive for change' continues to be lacking.

    Even the worst effluent is still 99.9+% water with as much as 0.1% useful sludge, while the residual soluble toxicology is readily oxidisable.

    This is not rocket science, its only because the last 125 years of water treatment made it that way - 'settling and biology' rather than 'separation and filtration' took precedence. This is not unlike oil, gas and coal Vs wind, solar and hydropower.

    When it comes to managing water there is certainly a better way.

    Regards, Yuri

    1 Comment reply

    1. Thank you, Yuri. Yes, it is not rocket science, just against a long-term norm that is archaic. When you compare all of the values attributed to creating sludge, their really is no long term benefit to taking all of the bad aspects and redistributing them to our environment. We have proven systems that will take levels in excess of 400 BOD and bring that to "zero"/undetectable; and then we process that effluent through the best water purification process to remove all parasites; all hazardous chemicals, heavy metals, insecticides, pesticides, etc.; and then we use UV or Nano-Technology the rid all bacteria and viruses (including Covid-19); producing potable quality water.

  2. It is not possible to eliminate all sludge.  You say organic, but the rest of the discussion presumes all sludge i.e. eliminating hauling and disposal costs. However reducing the volume is commendable and environmentally responsible, and is accomplished via anaerobic digestion and/or digestion of sludge to produce methane. Re-use of wastewater is also a worthwhile goal and there are many other reuse options that are cheaper and more acceptable than potable reuse such as reuse water for landscape irrigation and industrial uses. 

    1 Comment reply

    1. Michael, I appreciate your comment "...reducing [organic sludge] volume is commendable and environmentally responsible..." What we have done for years now is to eliminate all aspects of any anaerobic activity. We never let any suspended solids over 5 to 10 Microns ever leave our aerobic digester; then in our "finishing process" we are well below 1 Micron to remove any parasites (including PFAS); adsorb or absorb all hazardous chemicals, heavy metals, etc.; and then using UV or Nano-Technology we remove all bacteria and viruses; to give us potable quality water effluent. Now by recycling purer water than most water utilities from our WWT, we can solve so many of our pressing water problems in our country and around the world: agriculture, droughts, replenishing our fresh water supplies, etc., etc., etc.

  3. That is the plan of a system we are putting together for municipal and industrial effluent.  We have the technology for each of the parts of the system and are now evaluating how the parts fit together based upon the size of the effluent flow.

    Clean energy and clean water will be the result.