Demonstration of an innovative PLAN-DO toolbox for a safer, resource efficient and fit-for-purpose wastewater treatment

Introduction

LIFE Fitting involves 3 partners (LNEC, Universidade Católica do Porto, TRATAVE S.A.) and aims to demonstrate at full-scale the application of an innovative PLAN-DO toolbox for enabling a smart discharge driven-operation, monitoring, and strategic planning of wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) to better cope with climate uncertainty and treated water quality challenges.

Toolbox Overview

The 5 tool-based toolbox will support the development of strategies balancing a resource-efficient wastewater treatment with a safer and fit-for-purpose treatment. This approach is adjustable to the receiving water uses and quality requirements towards regulated and emerging contaminants, as well as antimicrobial resistance.

Deliverables

LIFE Fitting will deliver the following outputs:

1. A new tool to forecast pharmaceutical compounds control in urban activated sludge WWTPs.
2. A new tool for wise monitoring based on bulk parameters, antimicrobial resistance biomarkers, and key contaminants of emerging concern.
3. A new tool to establish water quality-based effluent discharge limits, based on the available dilution ratio and WWTP performance.
4. A portfolio of resource-efficient operational measures and strategies for improving the performance of activated-sludge systems and tertiary ozonation for advanced treatment/disinfection, validated at full-scale, e.g., by benchmarking full-scale treatment lines of activated sludge processes.
5. A new strategic plan tool.
6. A Guide of best practices.

Impact on Water Utilities

These outputs will support the water utilities of urban wastewater treatment in the selection and prioritization of strategies and investments in the short, medium, and long runs. This will lead to an enhanced integrated control of regulated contaminants (organic matter, nutrients), pharmaceuticals, and antimicrobial resistance. Additionally, where/when direct or indirect reuse is envisaged, pathogen indicators (E. coli as bacteria indicators, coliphages as viruses indicators, and Clostridium perfringens spores as protozoa indicators) will be considered.