In-Depth Look at Clean Sewage Tech
There’s been a lot of focus on renewable energy on Cleantechnia recently but energy is not the only “clean” tech out there. What about recycling wastes? What about recycling… human wastes? What’s the difference between traditional wastewater treatment and sewage purification (also known as ‘indirect potable water reuse”)? Is it safe and cost-effective? And does it smell like… you know…? Turns out, it’s a lot cleaner than you think.
Let’s get the “yuck” factor out of the way. If you’ve ever passed a waste water treatment plant on a hot day, you probably got a whiff of what we’re talking about: the result of all our glorious indoor plumbing. Traditional waste-water treatment has one main goal: “reduce pollutants in wastewater to a level nature can handle.” When they’re done filtering out most of the undesirables, they release it into a waterway - in fact most major waterways. These traditional plants handle everything that goes down the drain: sewage, runoff, litter, chemicals, and even medication. This cloudy mix includes dreaded disease-causing bacteria but also nutrients, minerals and metals. Here are the basic steps for normal waste water treatment:
