Wastewater treatment project “registers promising results”
Micro WatTS, a 2.5 million euro Interreg Italia-Malta project, developed prototypes that treat greywater and render it safe for reuse. Greywater refers to the relatively clean water drained from showers, baths and wash-hand basins, which if treated can be used for toilet flushing.
Two types of greywater treatment prototypes were developed: one operating under solar radiation and another using UV LEDs. Both prototypes were fitted with photocatalytic materials which decompose bacteria and pollutants when exposed to visible and/or UV radiation.
“Results indicate that the UV prototype can treat sufficient water for a three-person household slashing its consumption by about 30%. Such a saving is remarkable especially when one takes into consideration the fact that Malta is an arid island where the provision of water comes at a high financial and environmental cost. These results tie in with the country’s ongoing efforts to conserve as much water as possible,” Prof. Maurice Grech, from the Department of Metallurgy and Materials Engineering at the University of Malta said.
“These promising results present opportunities for further research and development leading to the eventual commercialisation of the water treatment prototypes,” added Prof. Grech who was the project leader.
The project was led by the University of Malta and had Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, MCAST, the University of Catania, and two SMEs namely, Econetique and Plastica Alfa as partners.
A network of researchers, SMEs, stakeholders and public administrators has been set up to help topple legislative barriers related to the use of recycled greywater for toilet flushing, irrigation and other applications.
Proġett li jittratta l-ilma “jirreġistra riżultati promettenti”
Permezz tal-proġett Micro WatTS iffinanzjat minn Interreg Italia-Malta, b’fondi ta’ 2.5 miljun ewro ġew żviluppati prototipi li jittrattaw dak li jissejjaħ ‘greywater’ u jġibuh tajjeb biex jerġa’ jintuża. Greywater huwa dak l-ilma li jiskula mix-shower, il-banju u s-sink u wara li jiġi trattat ikun jista’ jerġa jintuża biex tifflaxxja t-toilet.
Ġew żviluppati żewġ tipi ta’ prototipi: wieħed jaħdem bir-raġġi tax-xemx filwaqt li l-ieħor jagħmel użu minn UV artifiċjali. Iż-żewġ mudelli intramalhom materjal apposta msejjaħ photocatalytic li jdgħajjef il-bacteria u jeħles mit-tniġġis meta jiġi espost għal radjazzjoni viżibli u/jew raġġi UV.
“Ir-riżultati juru li l-prototip li juża r-raġġi UV jista’ jsaffi ilma biżżejjed biex familja ta’ tlieta tiffranka madwar 30 fil-mija tal-ilma li tuża. Riżultat impressjonanti meta wieħed iqis li f’Malta għandna nuqqas kbir ta’ ilma. Dan jorbot ma’ dak li jagħmel il-pajjiż fuq skala nazzjonali biex kemm jista’ jkun isir l-aħjar użu tal-ilma,” qal Prof. Maurice Grech mid-Departiment tal-Metallurġija u l-Inġinerija tal-Materjali fl-Università ta’ Malta.
“Dawn ir-riżultati joffru diversi opportunitajiet għal aktar riċerka u żvilupp li jwasslu biex dawn il- prototipi jiġu manifatturati fuq skala kummerċjali,” kompla Prof. Grech li mexxa dan il-proġett.
F’dan il-proġett l-Università ta’ Malta daħlet sħab ma’ Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, l-MCAST, l-Università ta’ Katanja u żewġ SMEs, Econetique u Plastica Alfa.
Inħoloq ukoll network ta’ riċerkaturi, SMEs u amminstraturi pubbliċi ħalli jingħelbu sfidi legali biex greywater riċiklat ikun jista’ jintuża għall-iflaxxjar tat-toilets u tisqija ta’ pjanti fost oħrajn.
Water Treatment and Research Facility (L-R) Stand Alone Greywater Treatment System , Research Unit and Polymeric Filter System
Modular Reactors in Polymeric Filter System
Standalone Greywater Treatment System