One of the highlights of Singapore International Water Week 2026 was a workshop facilitated by the Global Water Research Coalition (GWRC) exploring the soon-to-be published "Practical Protocol to Monitor and Quantify Nitrous Oxide (N₂O) Emissions from Full-Scale Wastewater Treatment Plants".
A greenhouse gas 273 times more potent than CO₂, there are estimates that nitrous oxide may be 30-70% of emissions from wastewater treatment plants, and potentially underestimated in emissions factors used to track greenhouse gasses and net zero progress.
Good monitoring will enable process optimisation and mitigation of this potent greenhouse gas, and this work will make a real difference.
A background study from Water Research Australia and participating members provided a foundation for development of the protocol, by Professor Liu Ye from The University of Queensland and partners, backed by the full partnership of the Global Water Research Coalition.
The project brings together leading researchers, utilities, consultants and industry organisations to advance global understanding of nitrous oxide emissions from wastewater treatment.
With 70 authors and 30 case studies from across the globe, chapters will focus on:
- background, and the dynamic nature of nitrous oxide emissions monitoring
- outlines collector system approach and hood methodologies
- monitoring dissolved oxygen problems and analysis tools
- guidance on sampling point locations and numbers
- approaches to different types of enclosed plants and spaces
- what is different about surface aerated processes
- sampling campaign designs and emissions calculations
- practical considerations in designing a monitoring program
- understanding the assumptions and limitations
The Protocol is now in the publication phase with the International Water Association and will be launched at the Water Congress in Glasgow in October this year.
The SIWW session on this featured an insightful keynote from Professor Ye, followed by practical case studies from Yangshuo Gu from Singapore's national water agency PUB, Dr Nerina Di Lorenzo from Melbourne Water, and Bob Stear from Severn Trent, demonstrating how utilities are monitoring, quantifying and addressing nitrous oxide emissions in real-world operations.
Another highlight was the expert panel discussion involving leaders from the Water Services Association of Australia, Melbourne Water, Jacobs, Severn Trent, PUB, and the the Water Research Foundation, exploring the pathway towards globally consistent reporting, benchmarking and emissions reduction.
For further insights from the session at the Singapore International Water Week (SIWW) check out the article from GWRC partner organisation Canadian Water Network (CWRN) and WaterRA CEO David Bergmann's article 'Have we stalled?'