Water & Wastewater Treatment

Collaboration is the key to clean water The talk: opinion M icropollutants in our waterways is an issue which is causing concern across a number of sectors. Some of the worst offenders are the pharmaceu- tical, chemical, farming, oil, and textiles industries – and each of these sectors brings with it a whole set of unique chal- lenges. As analytical techniques develop, more and more micropollutants are being discovered in our water bodies. There is a growing list of substances produced as a result of manufacturing products such as veterinary medications, pharmaceuticals and agrochemicals, all of which are finding their way through conventional wastewater treatment processes into raw water supplies. Fortunately, there are collaborative groups being set up in order to support the UK Government's 25-year plan to improve the environment. The plan states: "This 25 Year Environment Plan sets out government action to help the natural world regain and retain good health. It aims to deliver cleaner air and water in our cities and rural landscapes, protect threatened species and provide richer wildlife habitats." Water which has been inadequately are progressing in-line with the 25-year plan. The collaboration strives to improve regulation and remove barriers to help the water sector respond to long term water resource challenges. Movements like RAPID are what is required to make a tangible difference, and with more regula- tions introduced, manufacturers and util- ity companies alike will have no choice but to treat their water to higher levels. Current regulations Rising levels of micropollutants are a major concern for consumers and, of course, the controlling bodies. The response has been stringent regulations on a global and local scale. Unfortunately, traditional methods of treating water are failing to remove trace level organic contaminants to meet strict discharge regulations; the EU and UK regulations being some of the strictest in the world. If we continue to allow clean water supplies to deplete at the current rate, the world is expected to reach the point where demand for unpolluted water outstrips the available supply by 60 per cent in 2030 – only 10 years' time. Improving the en- vironmental sustainability and economic viability of our water resources is vital to avoid this predicted gap. Emerging technology For many businesses, it's difficult to remove micropollutants to water compliant levels, without incurring heavy costs or creating secondary waste. The good news is that technology in this area has made vast improvements and there are now cost-effective treatment options which do not impact upon the environment. Many businesses are now turning to processes that combine adsorption and electrochemical oxidation which negates the need for chemical dosing. These pro- cesses selectively treat even trace levels of contaminants, offer lower operating costs and ensure regulatory compliance. In traditional methods of wastewater treat- ment, not only are chemicals used, but secondary waste is created which then has to be incinerated. Arvia Technology is well placed to help these efforts and can support both the industrial manufacturers to prevent these chemicals reaching water sources, as well as the water companies to remove them from wastewater and from raw water when it is abstracted for further use. It is obvious that the time to act is now, and concerted efforts to reduce our expo- sure to micropollutants must be made by properly treating water both at the source and before it enters our waterways. Mike Lodge is CEO at Arvia Technology, a provider of advanced tertiary water and wastewater treatment systems. Here, he discusses the dangers of micropollutants in our water and how fighting the issue must be a combined effort by governments, businesses and consumers alike. treated and contains micropollutants has far reaching consequences, from antimicro- bial resistance to population decreases in aquatic species and the bioaccumulation of micropollutants in the food chain. Additionally, there is ongoing assessments of the possible immediate and long-term consequences of the presence of contaminants of emerging concern (micropollutants). It is clear that they could pose a variety of threats to the environment, human health and the viability of public/ industrial wastewater reuse. Working together It's safe to say that collaboration is re- quired between industrial manufacturers, technology providers, domestic water us- ers and water companies so that micropo- llutants in waterways and drinking water can be removed completely, and in the meantime, reduced to safer levels. A partnership called RAPID (Regula- tors Alliance for Progressing Infrastruc- ture Development) between the three key water regulators in the UK aims to encour- age further collaboration and dynamically monitor how the efforts of joint working www.wwtonline.co.uk | WWT | MAY 2020 | 15

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