Decentralized Anaerobic Treatment of Blackwater: A Sustainable Development Technology Concept for Urban Water Management

As populations continue to increase, the demand for limited water resources has increased. Sustainable water technologies and management methods are critical to our meeting future water quantity and quality demands. Decentralized treatment of blackwater under anaerobic conditions is a wastewater treatment technology being explored for application in new developments. Decentralized anaerobic treatment of blackwater stands out in its ability to conserve available green water and energy resources and promote reuse of these resources at a local level. A pilot scale anaerobic reactor is under construction at the Colorado State University Foothills Campus to treat blackwater (toilet and kitchen sink wastewater) from a building occupied by laboratory and office space. This project is a demonstration study on the economic and technical feasibility of using anaerobic digestion for treatment of blackwater. Eventually, it is anticipated that biogas produced in digesters will be used as a green energy alternative to current energy sources and treated effluent water will be evaluated for reuse onsite for irrigation or other non-potable uses. Treatment efficiencies of the anaerobic process under varying loading and environmental conditions will be monitored in addition to methane production. A decision analysis tool for cluster decentralized wastewater treatment (DWWT) will be developed to assist decision making entities in determining the applicability of DWWT.