Exploring Ways of Making Self-sustenance in Wastewater Treatment Plants

Abstract

The increase in population and urbanization have resulted in an increase in the number of wastewater treatment plants in South Africa. Although wastewater treatment plants serve a great purpose in the reduction of environmentally threatening contaminants from wastewater, the increase in energy consumption by these plants raises concerns about climate change. Thus, there has been a rise in literature attempting to map the energy consumption of wastewater treatment plants to help decision-making in the search for alternative energy sources to promote self-sufficient wastewater treatment plants. There has been a proposition of capturing energy from sewers to mitigate the greenhouse gas emanating from energy consumption by wastewater treatment plants.