SANIRESCH Sanitär Recycling Eschborn (research project) SBR Sequencing batch reactor SS Suspended solids T Temperature THM Technische Hochschule Mittelhessen – University of Applied Sciences TNb Total nitrogen bound TrinkwV Trinkwasserverordnung - drinking water ordinance TS Total solids WQI Water quality index IX
1 INTRODUCTION In regions of the world, where low availability of water causes significant problems, the sustainable use of water resources is a fundamental task. Due to increasing water demand, global structural shifts, and climate change, investments particularly in water saving techniques and improved water management <strong>system</strong>s are vital developments in those <strong>areas</strong>. A solution to these challenges is offered by <strong>greywater</strong> reuse, with multiple use of water in the household (fbr, 2011). Wastewater <strong>treatment</strong> techniques, which result in an enhanced removal of a wide range of contaminants, enable the implementation of such an approach. In particular, the industry works actively on water reuse projects, not only <strong>for</strong> economic reasons, but also from the perspective of an environmental responsibility (Van der Bruggen, 2010). Greywater is a part of domestic wastewater which is produced during personal hygiene routines such as showering, bathing or hand-washing. In addition, washing machine, dishwasher and kitchen sink water also generates <strong>greywater</strong>. It is faecal free, and low polluted wastewater (DIN EN 12056-1, 2000). Every single household within a given region, and with an equal cultural background, produces similar amounts of <strong>greywater</strong> with a similar quality every day, regardless of weather conditions. In order to “lead by example”, the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH installed a <strong>greywater</strong> <strong>treatment</strong> <strong>system</strong> within the research project SANIRESCH in its headquarters located in Eschborn, Germany (Winker & Saadoun, 2011). The aim is to showcase the potential of such <strong>system</strong>s <strong>for</strong> <strong>urban</strong> <strong>areas</strong> in both, developed and developing countries. The <strong>system</strong> is based on the technology of membrane bioreactor (MBR), a method which provides a very good cleaning capacity and effective removal of contaminants (Mallevialle et al., 1996), developed by company HUBER SE. After MBR <strong>treatment</strong>, the purified water fulfils the regulations of the EU directive 2006/7/EG <strong>for</strong> bathing water quality. The water is then called process water. It can be used optimally <strong>for</strong> irrigation, toilet flushing or laundry. This technology firstly reduces the water consumption and secondly substitutes drinking water in applications where drinking water quality is not required. Reuse of treated <strong>greywater</strong> as process water contributes to the protection of the water resources and exerts a positive influence on the water balance as well as on the environment. Additionally, drinking water demand is reduced by <strong>greywater</strong> recycling, and the negative effects of the drinking water extraction and distribution processes (e.g. energy and chemical requirement, drop in the groundwater level, consumption peaks) can be minimised as well. Finally, the production of wastewater and discharge into the sewer <strong>system</strong> is reduced and consequently also the water pollution (fbr, 2005). <strong>An</strong> important aspect within the research project and also <strong>for</strong> GIZ is to investigate the worldwide transferability of such a decentralised wastewater substream <strong>treatment</strong>. The pivotal question in this context is whether membrane bioreactor <strong>treatment</strong> of <strong>greywater</strong> is a meaningful and feasible application in emerging and developing countries, as they are often affected by water shortage and problems of freshwater supply and discharge. Generally, this study tried to find answers on the following questions that refer to technical issues of membrane bioreactor technology: - Is the membrane bioreactor technology a feasible <strong>system</strong> to recycle <strong>greywater</strong>? - What is the advantage of <strong>greywater</strong> <strong>treatment</strong> via MBR technology? - What is the quality like of MBR treated purified <strong>greywater</strong>? Furthermore an assessment of the <strong>treatment</strong> <strong>system</strong> was made, in order to see the differences between the utilisation of the technology in a research project and in a serial application. For this purpose, economical parameters were roughly estimated in order to get an insight into the costs. This task triggered the following queries: 1
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