Wastewater pollution is a significant environmental issue that has adverse effects on the health of humans, animals, and aquatic life. Wastewater is any water that has been used in households, industries, or agriculture, and has been contaminated by various pollutants.
Unfortunately, the efforts to improve drinking water quality and wastewater treatment are not keeping up with the rapid population growth and urbanization. Given that more than 60% of South Africa’s wastewater treatment works are in a poor to critical state, it must be assumed that much of this contamination is ending up in our waterways and affecting our food. These pollutants include chemicals, heavy metals, pathogens, and organic substances that are harmful to the environment and human health.
MABR (Membrane Aerated Biofilm Reactor) has become a buzz word in the engineering community in the last few years. It is, however, not a new technology as it is often believed to be, it has been gaining popularity due to its safety and efficiency in treating wastewater for more than a decade now. This revolutionary technology uses a biofilm on a membrane surface to treat wastewater, which allows for the removal of pollutants and harmful bacteria from domestic wastewater.
One of the main advantages of MABR is its safety, as mentioned. Unlike other wastewater treatment technologies, MABR is not heavily dependent on chemicals, which can help reduce operational costs and other risks associated with systems that require a lot of operator attention. This makes it an ideal solution for wastewater treatment in residential areas or other locations where safety is paramount.
MABR has been found to be up to 80% more efficient than other wastewater treatment technologies, which means that it can effectively remove pollutants and bacteria from water in less time and with less energy consumption. This translates to significant cost savings for municipalities and other organizations that need to treat large volumes of wastewater and require a modular style technology design to be as flexible as possible.
The scalable MABR technology is adaptable and can be fine-tuned to different capacities of wastewater. Making it the perfect solution for both small and large-scale wastewater treatment projects.
One of the key challenges of other wastewater treatment systems is the relatively high maintenance cost compared to the MABR technology. However, as the technology becomes more widely adopted, it is expected that the CAPEX will come down even further. Moreover, the long-term cost savings associated with MABR, including lower energy consumption and reduced chemical use, make it a cost-effective solution for long-term operations and temporary build alike.
Overall, MABR is a safe and efficient wastewater treatment technology that has the potential to revolutionize the industry. Its ability to remove pollutants and bacteria from water in a safe and efficient way makes it an ideal solution for a wide range of applications. MEB is moving ahead with its ongoing research and development, furthering the technology to service the African continent.
We are the leading solutions provider in the sector for domestic wastewater treatment with the MABR technology and we will continue to disrupt the domestic wastewater treatment sector by enhancing operations and efficient treatment solution like the MABR. Give us a call or drop us an email for more on the MABR.