Achieving nitrite shunt for mainstream sewage treatment using human waste

Nitrogen removal from sewage is essential, however, conventional processes require a lot of energy and an organic carbon source, such as fats, oils and foods. Australian water treatment services are struggling to reduce their carbon footprint, and operating costs are increasing.

This project aims to develop a new technology that utilises human waste, urine, to achieve an elegant nitrogen removal process, which reduces the amount of organic carbon and energy to remove nitrogen effectively. The benefits are better nitrogen removal and freeing up organic carbon that can be used to generate energy. With over two billion cubic meters of sewage rich in organic carbon, it is a promising renewable energy source. The energy can be used by sewage treatment plants or fed back into the electricity grid, reducing carbon emissions. It supports the country’s water industry to shift from energy consumers to energy producers and achieve net-zero emissions. It will also reduce costs. This technology will also benefit the Australian public by providing cleaner and cheaper water.