Circular wastewater treatment: solutions from industry in the Netherlands and Sweden

DeSaH/Landustrie has developed and implemented a decentralised and circular wastewater treatment concept for new and existing neighbourhoods.  

A source-separated wastewater collection and treatment system leads to the recovery and reuse of energy, nutrients and water. Black/toilet water is collected via vacuum toilets and vacuum sewerage and the grey water is collected via gravity. The two streams are transported separately to a compact, local wastewater treatment plant which is located in the neighbourhood. There, the wastewater is treated in an energy-efficient way and can be reused or discharged to surface water. 

What are the benefits of such a system? 

 This system requires less energy, effectively removes micropollutants, and produces a local source of high-quality treated water available for reuse for e.g. irrigation. What’s more, processing black water produces 3x more biogas compared to traditional wastewater treatment and 3x more nutrients are recovered compared to conventional wastewater treatment. There is also no sewer overflow when there is intensive rainfall, and it relieves the existing wastewater treatment system. 

The carbon footprint of source separated wastewater treatment is 3 times lower than conventional wastewater treatment plants.  

Where is this technique being implemented?  

This solution has been implemented in Sneek, The Netherlands for a new neighbourhood of around 200 houses and in Helsingborg for a new neighbourhood of around 1000 houses. The goals for both projects were to be as circular with wastewater treatment as possible. In Sneek the main stakeholders were the municipality, the wastewater company, the social housing association and DeSaH/Landustrie as technology provider. In Helsingborg the main stakeholders were the municipality, the local water company and DeSaH/Landustrie as technology provider. 

In 2022 the project in Sweden won GWI's (Global Water Intelligence) Global Water Award in the category Wastewater Project of the Year for the circular decentralised wastewater treatment solution for a new neighbourhood. 

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