by Charles Coleman | Sep 3, 2018
The WISA Anaerobic Sludge Processes Divisions in partnership with the WISA KZN Branch are hosting the Sludge to Resource Symposium at the Durban Botanic Gardens from 23-24 October 2018. Potable water and wastewater treatment sludge management and disposal has quickly become a problem for most municipalities and water boards. Most treatment plants were (and are still being) designed to prioritise the treatment of the liquid stream over the solid stream. Sludge management is often represented by a single arrow labelled ‘to disposal’. While this approach has worked in the past; the current environmental legislation has brought about more stringent disposal limits. This has made compliance with sludge discharge standards neither financially nor environmentally sustainable. An improved approach that prioritises all streams produced in potable water and wastewater treatment plants is thus needed. This will make use of the currently available innovations to ensure that sludge is managed as a resource rather than a waste product. The aim is to apply the cleaner production approach which recovers all useful resources contained in sludge and only discharge reduced volumes (if at all). The nutrients load and energy potential contained in sludge makes this approach possible. The symposium will bring together key stakeholders in the South African water sector with an intention to discuss and address challenges including exploring opportunities around sustainable sludge management with a view of turning sludge into a resource. Recent developments in treatment technologies, sludge treatment and volume reduction, resource (biogas, nutrients, water) recovery will also be discussed. The symposium will further explore discussions aimed at lobbying for more lenient sludge regulations. We would therefore like to invite all…
