How wastewater utilities recover resources for revenue

Jan. 25, 2024
Technologies now exist to recover resources from wastewater such as ammonium sulfate. But how does it actually work and what challenges does it present?

Wastewater has a mix of organic and inorganic wastes that utilities across the country and globe treat and remove from incoming sewer flows to produce clean water that reenters the environment. As technology has improved, wastewater utilities have identified resources in wastewater that they can recover to repurpose for its own needs or repackage as a revenue stream, such as ammonium sulfate (shown in the thumbnail).

Eric Kadaj is senior director of market and applications development for Energy Recovery, a company that specializes in wastewater resource recovery. He explains how technologies and processes differ from industrial to municipal applications and the kinds of resources that are commonly recovered.

Additional Resources

Sign up for More Wastewater Digest Content

Connect with WWD on Social Media 

About the Author

Bob Crossen

Bob Crossen is the editorial director for the Endeavor Business Media Water Group, which publishes WaterWorld, Wastewater Digest and Stormwater Solutions. Crossen graduated from Illinois State University in Dec. 2011 with a Bachelor of Arts in German and a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism. He worked for Campbell Publications, a weekly newspaper company in rural Illinois outside St. Louis for four years as a reporter and regional editor. 

Sponsored Recommendations

Blower Package Integration

March 20, 2024
See how an integrated blower package can save you time, money, and energy, in a wastewater treatment system. With package integration, you have a completely integrated blower ...

Strut Comparison Chart

March 12, 2024
Conduit support systems are an integral part of construction infrastructure. Compare steel, aluminum and fiberglass strut support systems.

Energy Efficient System Design for WWTPs

Feb. 7, 2024
System splitting with adaptive control reduces electrical, maintenance, and initial investment costs.

Blower Isentropic Efficiency Explained

Feb. 7, 2024
Learn more about isentropic efficiency and specific performance as they relate to blowers.