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Scalable Wastewater Treatment and Reuse for Expanding Cities

October 8, 2024 Blog
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This article is the second in a short series on municipal growth. Read the first article, on rural townships and areas, here

Growth in urban areas brings both economic benefits and infrastructure challenges. The question facing city planners is how to square that tension.

One major hurdle is upgrading wastewater treatment systems designed for smaller populations. Scalable technologies like membrane bioreactor (MBR) systems are helpful for this 21st-century urban growth because they adapt easily to increasing demands without the extensive environmental impact associated with urban sprawl.

Even setting aside urban sprawl, consider housing density; large U.S. cities are building the most high-density residential units. This process sees a dramatic influx in population within a finite neighborhood. Scalable wastewater solutions can be an immensely helpful solution as city planners weigh the challenges of welcoming new residents with managing their public health needs.

The key in this conversation is that increased wastewater loads can actually turn into assets for a city when efficient wastewater treatment technology is built into long-term planning.

Let’s take a closer look.

Urban Challenges and Wastewater Reuse Opportunities

Managing wastewater treatment plants efficiently is challenging due to high population densities, the finite and limited space, and increasingly strict regulatory standards. 

When we discuss the growth of U.S. cities, we tend not to mean a growth in the actual area of a city. Rather, we’re discussing population or economic output; given the finite space of a city, this means that infrastructure planners must do more with less. This makes the traditional outward expansion of wastewater treatment facilities difficult.

Urban centers are also subject to stringent environmental regulations based on those populations that require high-quality water treatment standards to protect public health and the environment.

And given those core challenges, cities must still deal with variable inputs: The demand for water treatment can fluctuate significantly in urban areas due to population growth, economic development (or lack thereof), and seasonal tourism.

This is no small task.

These challenges, however, create unique opportunities for reusing treated wastewater. When employing advanced MBR technology, the resulting effluent can actually become an asset for a growing city.

Here are three simple examples:

  • Landscaping and Public Spaces: Treated wastewater can be safely used for irrigating city parks, gardens, and golf courses, conserving fresh water for drinking and household use.
  • Industrial Use: Factories and production plants can use treated wastewater for cooling processes, boiler feed water, and other industrial processes, reducing their freshwater footprint.
  • Municipal Cleaning: Cities can use reclaimed water for street cleaning and vehicle washing, which helps conserve potable water.

BONUS: By decreasing the dependency on freshwater sources, cities can significantly lower the costs associated with water extraction, treatment, and distribution. Implementing highly efficient wastewater treatment systems cuts costs and brings them to the municipal budget’s bottom line.

This requires forethought from the planning department, of course; implementing wastewater reuse systems requires initial investment in infrastructure to collect, treat, and distribute reclaimed water. This includes dual piping systems—one for potable water and another for non-potable reclaimed water. However, the long-term benefits in terms of cost savings and resource conservation more often than not, outweigh the upfront costs.

The Role of MBR Technology in Urban Wastewater Reuse

MBR technology is well suited for urban settings due to its compact footprint and high-efficiency levels; MBRs also easily integrate into existing/traditional wastewater treatment processes. 

MBRs treat wastewater effectively enough to be reused, which is important for cities looking to reduce their environmental impact and meet regulatory compliance.

MBR systems are modular, meaning they can be scaled up or down by adding or removing units. This flexibility is essential for urban areas where space is at a premium and population growth rates can be unpredictable.

Furthermore, MBR technology consistently produces high-quality effluent that meets or exceeds regulatory standards for reuse. This treated water can be safely redirected to non-potable applications, easing the pressure on urban water resources.

Integrating MBR Systems into Urban Infrastructure

Effective integration of MBR systems into city planning requires a strategic approach that anticipates future needs and involves all stakeholders:

  • Comprehensive Planning: Urban planners should include MBR systems in early infrastructure design to accommodate growth and limit future disruptions.
  • Retrofitting Existing Facilities: Retrofitting existing wastewater treatment plants with MBR technology can be a strategic move. It involves upgrading old systems with modern membrane processes to enhance treatment capacity and efficiency. This can be particularly useful in densely populated urban areas where expanding the physical footprint of a facility is impractical.
  • Palletized and Modular MBR Systems: For cities facing immediate or short-term wastewater treatment demands—possibly due to sudden population surges or temporary and/or emergency events—palletized MBR solutions can be a viable option. These systems are compact, pre-assembled units that can be quickly deployed and easily integrated into existing infrastructure. They offer flexibility, as they can be scaled up or down by adding or removing units based on the actual wastewater treatment demand, and later reconfigured or relocated as needs evolve.
  • Stakeholder Engagement: Involving community leaders, regulatory bodies, and the public in the planning process ensures that the systems meet everyone’s needs and maintain public trust.

Conclusion

As cities grow, integrating scalable wastewater treatment solutions like MBR technology is essential for sustainable development. 

These systems not only support urban expansion but also provide significant environmental benefits by enabling wastewater reuse in various municipal and industrial applications. This approach helps cities remain vibrant and sustainable into the future.

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