1. Francis Meerburg, R&D 25 Oct 2018
Public wastewater utilities in European cities today:
State-of-the-art and top challenges

2. Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive 91/271/EEC
- Obligation to treat all domestic WW > 2000 IE by 2006
- Art. 12.1: “Treated waste water shall be reused whenever
appropriate”
Water Framework Directive 2000/60/EC
- All EU water bodies must achieve good status by 2015
(only 41% succeeded)  2027
- Annex VI B: stimulate water efficiency and reuse measures
European legislation
© WWF

3. Revised EC fertilizer regulation proposed
- JRC investigates inclusion of recovered materials – goal 30%
- Component Material Categories (CMCs) and Product Function
Categories (PFCs)
- STRUvite, BIochar + ASh (STRUBIAS) with feedback of
Eureau, ESPP, …
- Struvite from domestic WW allowable (<3% organic C!)
- Biochar from WW sludge not allowed
- Uncertainty about sludge ash (P2O5 limit high!)
- “Stuck” in trilogue due to political and technical issues
Fertilizer regulation
Current EG 2003/2003: Only inorganic fertilizers can receive CE label
- struvite excluded for EU market
© JRC

4. - Directive proposed on 28 May 2018
- Encourage reuse of WWTP effluent for agricultural
irrigation, if relevant
- Minimal quality requirements (depending on crop and
irrigation system)
Upcoming: Directive on water reuse
© Wateralex

5. - Directive proposed on 28 May 2018
- Encourage reuse of WWTP effluent for agricultural
irrigation, if relevant
- Minimal quality requirements (depending on crop and
irrigation system)
Upcoming: Directive on water reuse
© Wateralex
Comments Eureau
- Focus on production and distribution, no requirements on the actual reuse
- Lack of information on responsibilities of users  all responsibility lies with plant
operators
- Member states should be required to raise awareness on water reuse
opportunities across all stakeholders
- Risk management of pollution from effluent: overall approach needed for different
pollutant sources (effluent, agriculture, …)
- European funds needed for investments in reclamation facilities

6. JRC report : Towards a better exploitation of the technical
potential of waste-to-energy
 New BAT techniques for incineration announced
Revision of Waste Framework Directive
 Better opportunities for obtaining end-of-waste status?
Revision of Landfill Directive
 Sludge can no longer be landfilled after 2030
Overall: What to do with WWTP sludge?
Incineration / land spreading / fertilizer?
More changes?

7. - The wastewater treatment utility of Flanders
5.946 km
301 1.625
Water treatment
plants
Pumping stations
Piping
84%
of all domestic
waste water
treated

8. Corporate social responsibility
- Act green (immission – biodiversity – energy – mobility – circular thinking)
- Create opportunities (job flexibility – “great place to work”)
- Positive impact (invitingness – less hindrance – innovation – green and blue public
spaces)
Dialogue with the legislator
When it concerns the “edge” of the law (Effluent reuse – (micro)pollutants – resource
recovery – circular economy)
Knowledge sharing and public participation
E.g. Operatie perforatie, Kruitfabriek
Beyond the core business of a wastewater utility
© Water Technology Magazine
© JGR Communications

9. Integral water management
Custom rainwater management plan at the level of a specific municipality
- Inventory of piping network, ditches and waterways, hydrography, bottlenecks
- Consider separate vs. optimized combined sewer system
- Identify and designate specific plots for green roofs, infiltration, buffering, drainage, …
- Scenario analysis to test system reliability (rain events, river water levels)
- Municipality takes over management of private ditches
 Avoid water nuisance (flooding, drought)
 Increase water visibility in the landscape (recreational value)
R&D&I

10. R&D&I Integral water management
Custom rainwater management plan at the level of a specific municipality
- Inventory of piping network, ditches and waterways, hydrography, bottlenecks
- Consider separate vs. optimized combined sewer system
- Identify and designate specific plots for green roofs, infiltration, buffering, drainage, …
- Scenario analysis to test system reliability (rain events, river water levels)
- Municipality takes over management of private ditches
 Avoid water nuisance (flooding, drought)
 Increase water visibility in the landscape (recreational value)

11. Integral water management
Custom rainwater management plan at the level of a specific municipality
- Inventory of piping network, ditches and waterways, hydrography, bottlenecks
- Consider separate vs. optimized combined sewer system
- Identify and designate specific plots for green roofs, infiltration, buffering, drainage, …
- Scenario analysis to test system reliability (rain events, river water levels)
- Municipality takes over management of private ditches
 Avoid water nuisance (flooding, drought)
 Increase water visibility in the landscape (recreational value)
R&D&I

12. Integral water management
Custom rainwater management plan at the level of a specific municipality
- Inventory of piping network, ditches and waterways, hydrography, bottlenecks
- Consider separate vs. optimized combined sewer system
- Identify and designate specific plots for green roofs, infiltration, buffering, drainage, …
- Scenario analysis to test system reliability (rain events, river water levels)
- Municipality takes over management of private ditches
 Avoid water nuisance (flooding, drought)
 Increase water visibility in the landscape (recreational value)
R&D&I

13. Integral water management
Custom rainwater management plan at the level of a specific municipality
- Inventory of piping network, ditches and waterways, hydrography, bottlenecks
- Consider separate vs. optimized combined sewer system
- Identify and designate specific plots for green roofs, infiltration, buffering, drainage, …
- Scenario analysis to test system reliability (rain events, river water levels)
- Municipality takes over management of private ditches
 Avoid water nuisance (flooding, drought)
 Increase water visibility in the landscape (recreational value)
R&D&I

14. Integral water management
Custom rainwater management plan at the level of a specific municipality
- Inventory of piping network, ditches and waterways, hydrography, bottlenecks
- Consider separate vs. optimized combined sewer system
- Identify and designate specific plots for green roofs, infiltration, buffering, drainage, …
- Scenario analysis to test system reliability (rain events, river water levels)
- Municipality takes over management of private ditches
 Avoid water nuisance (flooding, drought)
 Increase water visibility in the landscape (recreational value)
R&D&I

15. R&D&I Decoupled local treatment in central areas
- Upgrading of rain water for non-potable reuse  not always available!
- Upgrading of grey water for non-potable reuse

16. Resource recovery – dealing with scarcity in short and long
term
Effluent upgrading and reuse
- For groundwater recharge  not necessary in winter, other priorities in summer?
- For irrigation / fertigation  short-term problem solving ≠ long-term solutions!
- Should be part of a greater “water plan” (align ≠ water sources with ≠ uses, and prioritize
during drought)
R&D&I

17. Resource recovery – dealing with scarcity in short and long
term
Effluent upgrading and reuse
- For groundwater recharge  not necessary in winter, other priorities in summer?
- For irrigation / fertigation  short-term problem solving ≠ long-term solutions!
- Should be part of a greater “water plan” (align ≠ water sources with ≠ uses, and prioritize
during drought)
Phosphorus recovery
- Only a long-term problem, short-term incentives are few
- Find a way to monetize “sustainability”
R&D&I

18. Other examples
R&D&I
Effluent upgrading and reuse
Pipelines to industry – a matter of cost minimization
Citrique Belge Isvag IWVA

19. Other examples
R&D&I
Effluent upgrading and reuse
Smart Farming Herbs and beer

20. R&D&I
Many more research projects
- Dealing with climate change
- CFD
- Modeling
- Sludge treatment
- Nutrient removal and recovery
- Corrosion
- Sewer real-time control
- Overflow management
- EU projects (Impakt! – I-QUA – Volatile – Quics – Treatrec)
- …

21. R&D&I
Link with incover
Aquafin is building similar experience
No experience, but directly relevant for us

22. Legal requirements for resource recovery
- P recovery in Germany
- Water reuse in Flanders
Quality requirements & responsibilities
- e.g. struvite may be “cleaner” than mined phosphate ore
- No clear quality requirements for non-potable reuse
- Quality at Point of delivery vs. Point of use
Social acceptance
LCA vs. Economics-based decision making
Financing
- E.g., who pays the expensive upgrading/distribution?
Clearing out the “grey zones”

23. Aquafin NV
Dijkstraat 8, B-2630 Aartselaar
Tel. 03 450 45 11 • fax 03 458 30 20
e-mail: info@aquafin.be • www.aquafin.be
R&D
Francis Meerburg
francis.meerburg@aquafin.be