Title
Wastewater infrastructure for small cities in an urbanizing world: Integrating protection of human health and the environment with resource recovery and food security
Date Issued
16 April 2013
Access level
metadata only access
Resource Type
journal article
Author(s)
Verbyla M.
Mihelcic J.
California State University
Abstract
The majority of population growth in developing countries will occur in small cities closely linked to agricultural zones, with poor access to water and sanitation. Wastewater management priorities in these regions will be different from those in larger cities and developed countries. Two wastewater treatment systems in Bolivia, one with an upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor and polishing ponds, the other with three stabilization ponds, are assessed to determine their resource recovery potential. The UASB reactor produces biogas with 500-650 MJ per day. In six months, both systems discharge wastewater with the same mass of nutrients as fertilizers used to produce crops containing 10-75 days' worth of the recommended food energy intake for each person using the system. Both systems also discharge detectable levels of helminth eggs, Giardia cysts, and Cryptosporidium oocysts, but the UASB reactor system discharges higher concentrations, implying limited reuse potential. From a regional management standpoint, small cities should not expend resources to treat wastewater to levels suitable for discharge into surface waters. Rather, they should focus on removing pathogens to reclaim water and nutrients. Biogas recovery may be a priority that should be subservient to water and nutrient recovery in these settings. © 2013 American Chemical Society.
Start page
3598
End page
3605
Volume
47
Issue
8
Language
English
OCDE Knowledge area
Ciencias del medio ambiente Ingeniería estructural y municipal Ingeniería ambiental y geológica
Scopus EID
2-s2.0-84876222289
PubMed ID
Source
Environmental Science and Technology
ISSN of the container
0013936X
Sponsor(s)
National Science Foundation; 0966410, 1243510; NSF.
Sources of information: Directorio de Producción Científica Scopus