Water-Efficient Technology Opportunity: On-Site Wastewater Treatment SystemsThe Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) identified on-site wast...
Published by Water Network Research, Official research team of The Water Network
The Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) identified on-site wastewater treatment systems as a technology that can provide a source of alternative water that is relevant to the federal sector, is commercially available, and offers a significant opportunity to offset freshwater use.
This overview provides agencies with key information to deploy innovative products and systems that may otherwise be overlooked. It also helps agencies identify water-efficient technologies for consideration when entering into energy savings performance contracts and utility energy service contracts.
FEMP considered the following when selecting this technology.
Underutilized in the federal sector
Broad applicability across the federal sector
Lack of information available to agencies on alternative water systems
Offset of freshwater
Market availability
Produced by multiple manufacturers
Technology Description
Treated effluent from an on-site wastewater treatment system can be reclaimed and used in non-potable applications, providing a consistent source of alternative water to federal facilities. An important component of a site’s water management plan is identifying sources of alternative water to offset the use of freshwater from surface and groundwater sources, which helps to lower the water risk of a site making it more water secure.
Uses for treated wastewater effluent include (but are not limited to) landscape irrigation, vehicle wash, construction-related applications, dust suppression, ornamental pond and fountain filling, cooling tower makeup, and toilet and urinal flushing.
Several different wastewater treatment processes and technologies are available. The selection of the appropriate treatment technology depends on the volume and composition of the wastewater treated, the quality requirement of the effluent, and the land space available.
This table provides an overview of several available technologies, with the following considerations.
Information in the table is primarily based an evaluation of wastewater treatment technologies that modeled the performance of specific systems, treating wastewater discharged from a small community (population less than 2,000) with varying levels of waste concentration. (For more information, see Assessment of Wastewater Treatment Plant Design for Small Communities: Environmental and Economic Aspects).
All of the technologies listed—except the traditional wastewater treatment plant—are considered secondary treatment technologies that supplement primary treatment filtration or solids/liquid separation. Additional treatment (called tertiary treatment) and filtration may be required depending on the quality of the effluent and the requirements for reuse.
Primary waste constituents considered for removal are suspended solids, chemical oxygen demand, nitrogen, and phosphorous. High oxygen demand is an indirect indication of high organic content. Some inorganics, such as ammonia will also contribute to oxygen demand.
Capital and operation costs are presented as high, moderate, or low for relative comparison. Actual costs will depend on the capacity and size of the system.
Tags
- Treatment
- Industrial Wastewater Treatment
- Technology
- Wastewater Treatment
- Comprehensive Wastewater Treatment
- Water and wastewater treatment
1 Comment
AQUATES™ Expert Commentary on FEMP Water Reuse Guidance The FEMP guidance correctly highlights one of the key challenges associated with decentralized water reuse systems: conventional biological treatment technologies, including MBR and SBR systems, often require significant installation footprint and may be sensitive to intermittent hydraulic loading, extended idle periods, and substantial variations in wastewater composition. AQUATES™ provides an alternative engineering approach through the proprietary AQUA-OR™ treatment technology, owned and commercialized by AEROCRANE LLC (USA), the technology owner and commercialization entity for the AQUATES™ platform. The AQUATES™ platform has been developed for the treatment and conditioning of challenging industrial and municipal water streams. Key advantages include: • Compact Footprint The modular AQUATES™ architecture can significantly reduce installation footprint compared with many conventional biological treatment systems. Systems may be deployed in modular or containerized Plug-and-Play configurations where space is limited. • Operational Stability Under Variable Conditions Unlike treatment processes dependent on maintaining active biological populations, the AQUA-OR™ process does not rely on biological biomass and may be applied under variable flow conditions and fluctuating wastewater characteristics. • Water Reuse Readiness The process is designed to reduce organic contaminants (BOD/COD), suspended solids, and microbiological contamination to support a variety of non-potable water reuse applications, including cooling tower makeup water, industrial service water, equipment washdown, and toilet flushing. Actual treatment performance depends on site-specific water characteristics and is verified through project-specific testing and validation. Regulatory and Compliance Readiness The AQUATES™ platform is designed using commercially available industrial components commonly accepted within U.S. and European markets, including equipment carrying applicable certifications, listings, and markings required by individual project specifications. System fabrication may be performed through qualified manufacturing partners operating under recognized quality and welding standards, including ISO 3834 and applicable American Welding Society (AWS) requirements. AEROCRANE LLC (USA), as the owner of the AQUA-OR™ technology and the AQUATES™ platform intellectual property, maintains exclusive control over proprietary process know-how, core treatment technologies, software architecture, and future technology developments. This approach supports the integration of AQUATES™ solutions into industrial, municipal, commercial, and water reuse projects while maintaining compliance with applicable engineering, safety, and regulatory requirements. Disclaimer Performance results, treatment objectives, regulatory compliance, and water reuse suitability are subject to site-specific evaluation, pilot testing, and applicable regulatory approvals.
Published by Andrew Andrew