By Tina Casey •
August 1, 2009
Sewage treatment plant effluent may finally get its Cinderella moment, thanks to a new process called HYBACS developed by Bluewater Bio International. Up to now, the waste water from sewage plants has been shunted aside for disposal, typically into a nearby waterway. HYBACS transforms it into a reusable water resource, by improving the removal of nitrogen, phosphorus and other pollutants. Bluewater Bio has won a grant from the Spanish Environment Ministry to conduct a pilot test of the technology at a treatment plant near Madrid. If it proves successful, sewage treatment plant effluent could get a new life - and new respect for its role in a sustainable future.
By Tina Casey •
June 19, 2009
Good-bye honey truck, hello rocks. A mini sewage treatment plant called BIOROCK beats conventional septic systems on every level. Using rocks as a medium, BIOROCK needs little or no electricity, requires less maintenance, and produces a super-clean effluent. It’s scalable down to use for individual homes. Farms, campgrounds, trailer parks, corporate parks, subdivisions and vacation spots are other likely
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Among the many other distinctions San Antonio residents can point to, they can now add one more: their city will boast the first utility system in the U.S. to capture and sell methane gas generated during sewage treatment.
The San Antonio Water System (SAWS) Board of Trustees last night approved what they call a “truly innovative contract” with Ameresco, an “independent energy solutions company” based in Framingham, Massachusetts. Under the 20-year lease and operating agreement, Ameresco will build the pipelines and other facilities needed to collect and distribute methane gas produced from the city’s sewage. In return, SAWS gets a 12 percent royalty on the open market methane sales.
