Urban nutrient recovery

UNESCO-IHE: water education institute

160 Staff (54% Academic, 46% Non-academic) 250 Guest Faculty 4 Academic Programmes / 14 specializations: - Water Sciences and Engineering - Environmental Sciences - Municipal Water and Infrastructure - Water Management 70 PhD fellows 200 MSc graduates annually mainly mid-career professionals from
developing countries; on a scholarship from Dutch government

400 Short Course participants annually

> 200 Publications / year > 100 Projects / year

Nutrient recovery from urban waste

Sources: Human excreta

Grey water
Rainwater Solid Waste

Nutrient recovery from urban waste

Sources: Human excreta

Urine:
N+P+K = fertilizer

Grey water
Rainwater Solid Waste

Nutrient recovery from urban waste

Sources: Human excreta

Urine:
N+P+K = fertilizer

Grey water
Rainwater Solid Waste

Faeces:
Great composting value after drying

Nutrient recovery from urban waste

Sources: Human excreta

Grey water
Rainwater Solid Waste

Irrigation, flushing

Nutrient recovery from urban waste

Sources: Human excreta

Grey water
Rainwater Solid Waste

Irrigation; drinking water

Nutrient recovery from urban waste

Sources: Human excreta

Grey water
Rainwater Solid Waste

Irrigation; drinking water

Nutrient recovery from urban waste

Sources: Human excreta

Grey water
Rainwater Solid Waste

Recyclables: economic value Organics: compostable

Nutrient recovery from urban waste

Sources: Human excreta

Grey water
Rainwater Solid Waste

Recyclables: economic value Organics: compostable

Digestion in a bioreactor to make biogas

Household Energy from Sanitation

Feeding material: - Wastewater - Kitchen waste - Garden waste

Sketch of biodigester replacing a septic tank. Wastewater as well as kitchen and garden waste enter the digester and are broken down to biogas and fertile water. The advantages: No more emptying of septic tank. Reuse of all water in the garden. Less cost on cooking energy. Source: Ecosan Online Course, Elisabeth von Muench, UNESCO-IHE

Digesting waste: producing biogas

Constructing biogas plants: New enterprises

New to develop enterprises: Operation & Maintenance!

INTEGRATED approach!

http://www.wsp.org/

Key to success?
Look for sustainability criteria:

socially acceptable technically appropriate economically viable not contributing to environmental degradation or depletion of the resource base protect and promote human health institutionally appropriate

Training of involved professionals

No substitute for knowledge

The real IYS2008 challenge is how to get this knowledge to those that really matter
http://www.duncanmarasanitation.blogspot.com/