Achieving wider uptake of water-smart solutions
WIDER - UPTAKE
Innovative solutions for wastewater reuse, nutrient recycling and energy recovery in symbiosis with agricultural and manufacturing industries will be demonstrated in Ghana, Italy and Norway.
In Italy the WIDER-UPTAKE concept will be materialised by implementing three demonstration sites two at full scale nearby Palermo (Sicily - IT), Marineo and Corleone wastewater treatment plants, and one inside UNIPA Campus.
The two full-scale WWTPs are managed by the water utility AMAP S.p.A.
Marineo WWTP
The Marineo WWTP (7,000 IE) is a conventional activated sludge plant (combined basins) followed by a surface filtration unit and UV disinfection. An irrigation network has been scheduled but not yet realized so at present the WWTP effluent is discharged in a nearby river.
WIDER-UPTAKE Project will focus to recover materials by implementing a process line for the PHA production/extraction as well as the installation of final filters filled with Biochar and zeolites for nutrients adsorption.
Corleone WWTP
The Corleone WWTP (12,000 IE) is a typical conventional activated process having two aerobic biological reactors with surface aeration followed by three final clarifiers. The WWTP also has membrane modules for final effluent filtration and a distribution network for water reuse (irrigation) by local agriculture and green urban areas (i.e. green gardens).
WIDER-UPTAKE Project will focus to water reuse in agriculture, an experimental field trial will be conducted for the assessment of field interactions among water-soil-plants.
Water Resource Recovery Facility - WRRF
The UNIPA WRRF was built inside the campus of Palermo University and is composed of four main elements:
An innovative pumping station (1500 m underground conduits d = 800 mm) for collecting the wastewater produced by the university campus facilities;
A pilot plant hall composed of three treatment lines (0.7 m3/day treatment capacity): nutrients recovery, biopolymer production and water reuse;
A greenhouse facility and an irrigation system for the green areas of the campus in order to study the water-soil-plant interaction;
An innovative Water & Resource Recovery laboratory (around 100 m2) is used to perform chemical-physical analyses, greenhouse gas emissions monitoring and environmental impact evaluation.
This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 869283
