With water scarcity increasing around the world, it’s more important than ever to make the most out of every drop.
A roundup of global water and wastewater treatment trends that can enhance sustainability
The demand for water continues to increase worldwide, yet water availability is becoming less reliable, and the quality of available water is deteriorating in many cases.
Industries and municipalities — both in the United States and the rest of the world — are starting to realize the importance of water management practices. Consequently, more focus is being placed on sustainable water and wastewater treatment technologies, as well as water reuse.
Some of the latest water and wastewater treatment trends, which are outlined below, highlight this shift to more sustainable water management practices.
Treatment of Water Pollutants
In both developed and developing countries, there is growing concern over the risk posed by emerging contaminants in drinking water. These chemicals and compounds have recently been identified as harmful to environmental and human health. Some are known endocrine disrupters that can have severe impacts on aquatic organisms and humans exposed to them.
Naturally occurring contaminants, including arsenic, can pose a problem in drinking water. And in coastal regions, seawater intrusion is a growing problem, with many aquifers becoming increasingly saline.
Because contaminants found in drinking water vary from region to region, potable water treatment solutions need to be robust and flexible enough to deal with a wide range of potential pollutants. Fluence’s NIROBOX™ line of modular water treatment plants offers a cost-efficient solution that can be tailored to desalinate seawater and brackish groundwater, and to treat fresh water to potability.
Environmental Regulations
Municipalities and industries are under increasing pressure to comply with strict environmental regulations, particularly regarding the quality of wastewater effluent they release into the environment. Wastewater treatment using Fluence’s membrane aerated biofilm reactor (MABR) technology offers an energy-efficient and cost-effective solution for eliminating a wide range of pollutants in commercial and domestic wastewater.
MABR is efficient at removing an extensive list of common regulated pollutants, including nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus, which can harm the environment. Fluence’s MABR technology is available as both the stand-alone Aspiral™ modular system or as SUBRE, a system to upgrade existing activated sludge wastewater treatment plants.
Decentralized Treatment
There is a growing shift worldwide toward decentralized treatment of both water and wastewater. With decentralization, water and wastewater treatment takes place at the points of need and use. This takes pressure off aging centralized infrastructure and eliminates much of the need for extensive pipelines. And, recirculating water for reuse on-site, for example for irrigation, improves sustainability.
Fluence’s modular Aspiral™ wastewater treatment plants and NIROBOX™ potable desalination and water treatment solutions are packaged in standard 40-foot shipping containers that can be shipped anywhere in the world. They’re ideal for decentralized treatment. Capacity can be scaled by using units in tandem, with units added or removed as needed for maximum flexibility.
The Need to Preserve Water Resources
Since industries, agriculture operations, and communities all depend on water to survive, there is a pressing need to conserve dwindling freshwater resources. This has led to a growing trend in recycling wastewater for reuse for irrigation, cooling, or other purposes, or to recharge groundwater in aquifers. Fluence’s Aspiral™ has been a game changer in this regard, producing high-quality effluent that meets California’s Title 22 standards for water reuse, China’s Class 1A and IV standards, as well as many other national and regional requirements.
Fluence has designed solutions that have addressed the water and wastewater treatment challenges of communities and industries worldwide. Contact our team of experts to find out how we can help you overcome your water and wastewater treatment needs and improve your water sustainability.
