As environmental protection costs escalate, treatment of waste and wastewater at source is increasingly being seen as a sustainable option which overcomes issues associated with the increasing heterogeneity and complexity of wastes and wastewaters being received at off-site facilities. The Environmental Sustainability KTN is giving particular focus to the following key priorities in Water Supply, Sanitation and Use.

Management of Water and Wastewater at Source

We focus on micro and community scale domestic wastewater treatment technologies; on-site treatment technologies for industrial wastewaster; and management of diffuse and urban drainage.

Energy Efficient Water and Wastewater Treatment

The water industry is energy intensive, consuming about 2% of total energy used in the UK. We engage with research and development in; optimising energy use in treatment technologies, low-energy use pumping, increasing the availability of renewable / recovered energy use, increasing biogas recovery and the development of carbon footprinting methodology to aid the move to the delivery of a carbon-neutral/carbon negative service.

Low Impact Water and Wastewater Treatment

There has been significant growth in the use of water treatment chemicals to improve global water quality. However, health & environmental concerns combined with escalating use and cost, and security of supply issues, is pushing the water industry to look at the sustainable use of chemicals. We are working with those exploring the road towards chemical free water and wastewater treatment