Periodic Reporting for period 3 - Saraswati 2.0 (Identifying best available technologies for decentralized wastewater treatment and resource recovery for India)
Reporting period: 2022-02-01 to 2024-07-31
Saraswati 2.0 has been building on the work conducted and results achieved in the FP7 EU India project Saraswati (Supporting consolidation, replication and up-scaling of sustainable wastewater treatment and reuse technologies for India). This project had, as first of its kind, conducted a comprehensive documentation (around 1.500 plants) and evaluation of existing decentralized wastewater treatment plants in India. It had shown that a number of decentralized wastewater treatment plants in India do not perform properly and that there are few plants that would meet the more stringent standards as those proposed by the Indian Government in 2015. Thus, in many cases not even CATNAP (the cheapest available technology narrowly avoiding prosecution) has been applied, leading to high pollution levels. The Saraswati project therefore proposed to adopt the principle of BAT (best available technologies) in a more flexible way, adapting the definition of BAT to the local context, based on complementing the treatment efficiency with the costs of the treatment technology and affordability, and local context in the location of application. This will allow to identify BATs with more stringent standards if required and suitable for the location.
Hence, the vast environmental pollution caused by untreated wastewater across India is not tackled in an efficient manner as far as decentralized wastewater treatment plants are concerned. This in turn leads to adverse environmental and health effects for society.
Saraswati 2.0 aimed at addressing this situation by identifying best available as well as affordable technologies for decentralized wastewater treatment with scope of resource/energy recovery and reuse in rural and urban areas. Thereby, initially ten pilot technologies in 7 Indian States demonstrating enhanced removal of organic pollution (BOD, TSS), nutrients (particularly Nitrogen), organic micro-pollutants and pathogens have been identified as “candidates” for best available technologies for India.
These technologies have then been piloted and their performance has been monitored and assessed. Experimental research was conducted for several pilots to optimize these pilot technologies for Indian conditions. Finally, a comprehensive sustainability assessment has been conducted, including life cycle and life costing analysis, as well as socio-economic and institutional studies. All pilots allow for resource recovery contributing to the principles of a circular economy.
Based on the results of this work, the main findings have been summarized for each pilot and it has been concluded if and to what extent, and for which circumstances to identified “candidate” technologies can be considered best available technologies for India (Deliverable 5.3).
Hence, the vast environmental pollution caused by untreated wastewater across India is not tackled in an efficient manner as far as decentralized wastewater treatment plants are concerned. This in turn leads to adverse environmental and health effects for society.
Saraswati 2.0 aimed at addressing this situation by identifying best available as well as affordable technologies for decentralized wastewater treatment with scope of resource/energy recovery and reuse in rural and urban areas. Thereby, initially ten pilot technologies in 7 Indian States demonstrating enhanced removal of organic pollution (BOD, TSS), nutrients (particularly Nitrogen), organic micro-pollutants and pathogens have been identified as “candidates” for best available technologies for India.
These technologies have then been piloted and their performance has been monitored and assessed. Experimental research was conducted for several pilots to optimize these pilot technologies for Indian conditions. Finally, a comprehensive sustainability assessment has been conducted, including life cycle and life costing analysis, as well as socio-economic and institutional studies. All pilots allow for resource recovery contributing to the principles of a circular economy.
Based on the results of this work, the main findings have been summarized for each pilot and it has been concluded if and to what extent, and for which circumstances to identified “candidate” technologies can be considered best available technologies for India (Deliverable 5.3).
Work package 2: Piloting candidates for BATs
All pilot technologies have been successfully implemented.
Work package 3: Monitoring experimental work and performance assessment
All pilot technologies have been monitored as per their individual research plans and their performance was assessed. Experimental research was conducted for several pilots.
Work package 4: Automation and control
This WP has consisted of 3 tasks. The first task developed recommendations on how to implement basic control strategies for pilots 2,3 and 4. The second task adopted and tested a Model Predictive Control (MPC) system in pilots 5 and desiged a concept to develop an MPC system in pilot 10. The third and final task aimed at evaluating both basic and advanced control strategies and developing recommendations towards other pilot plants.
Work package 5: Sustainability assessments and BATs
Life cycle assessments and cost analysis were conducted for all pilots. In Kharagpur and Bhubaneswar, household surveys were conducted to perform social and socio-economic (affordability) assessments.
In Kolkata, Mumbai, Chennai, Bhubaneswar and Delhi stakeholder workshops were conducted to identify perceptions of stakeholders towards best available technologies for decentralized wastewater treatment and resource recovery for India.
Building on these tasks, a final task aimed at concluding if and to what extent the piloted “candidate” technologies can be considered best available technologies for India. This work has been documented in deliverable 5.3 (Description of identified best available technologies).
Work package 6: Dissemination, communication and exploitation
Various key activities were conducted within WP6 to achieve the SARASWATI 2.0 project's measurable and verifiable outcomes.
All pilot technologies have been successfully implemented.
Work package 3: Monitoring experimental work and performance assessment
All pilot technologies have been monitored as per their individual research plans and their performance was assessed. Experimental research was conducted for several pilots.
Work package 4: Automation and control
This WP has consisted of 3 tasks. The first task developed recommendations on how to implement basic control strategies for pilots 2,3 and 4. The second task adopted and tested a Model Predictive Control (MPC) system in pilots 5 and desiged a concept to develop an MPC system in pilot 10. The third and final task aimed at evaluating both basic and advanced control strategies and developing recommendations towards other pilot plants.
Work package 5: Sustainability assessments and BATs
Life cycle assessments and cost analysis were conducted for all pilots. In Kharagpur and Bhubaneswar, household surveys were conducted to perform social and socio-economic (affordability) assessments.
In Kolkata, Mumbai, Chennai, Bhubaneswar and Delhi stakeholder workshops were conducted to identify perceptions of stakeholders towards best available technologies for decentralized wastewater treatment and resource recovery for India.
Building on these tasks, a final task aimed at concluding if and to what extent the piloted “candidate” technologies can be considered best available technologies for India. This work has been documented in deliverable 5.3 (Description of identified best available technologies).
Work package 6: Dissemination, communication and exploitation
Various key activities were conducted within WP6 to achieve the SARASWATI 2.0 project's measurable and verifiable outcomes.
1. Progress beyond the state of the art
Progress beyond the state of the art is on the one side related to the piloted technologies. For each piloted technology, based on a review of the state of the art, knowledge gaps had been identified prior to proposal submission. The progress beyond the state of the art of Saraswati 2.0 was to close or contribute to closing these knowledge gaps. As a result, the technology readiness levels of all pilots have been increased by 1-3 levels.
On the other side, it is related to the developing of automation and control strategies for the piloted technologies. By an advancing the Human Machine Interface and defining the operator capacity as a variable within Hybrid Model Based Control strategies, Saraswati 2.0 went beyond current theoretical frontiers and gained insight into the trade-offs between multiple objectives and constraints, both on operational (Hybrid Model Based Control) and strategic level (system design optimisation).
2. Expected results
All expected results have been achieved so far.
3. Potential impacts
Saraswati 2.0 has in particular contributed to the following impacts:
Contribution to improved and efficient wastewater treatment systems, combined with recovery and reuse of energy, substances and treated wastewater: Saraswati 2.0 has implemented 10 pilot technologies which aim at improved and efficient wastewater treatment combined with reuse of energy including application of renewable energy sources, substances and treated wastewater. Hence, Saraswati 2.0 is also strongly contributing to the principles of a circular economy as e.g. outlined in the EU Action Plan for a circular economy.
Contribution to improved smart and comprehensive solutions for both quality and quantity monitoring and management of water resources: This impact is in so far addressed by Saraswati 2.0 as solutions for quality and quantity monitoring of the water flows within the wastewater treatment plants are concerned.
Contribution to strengthening the Sustainable Development Goals' (SDGs) agenda on water: Saraswasti 2.0 contributes directly to target 6.3 of SDG 6 (by 2020, improve water quality by reducing pollution, …., halving the proportion of untreated wastewater and substantially increasing recycling and safe reuse globally.). Saraswati 2.0 aimed at providing wastewater treatment technologies for nine locations across seven Indian States. All pilots have aimed in particular at increasing recycling and safe reuse of the treated wastewater.
Progress beyond the state of the art is on the one side related to the piloted technologies. For each piloted technology, based on a review of the state of the art, knowledge gaps had been identified prior to proposal submission. The progress beyond the state of the art of Saraswati 2.0 was to close or contribute to closing these knowledge gaps. As a result, the technology readiness levels of all pilots have been increased by 1-3 levels.
On the other side, it is related to the developing of automation and control strategies for the piloted technologies. By an advancing the Human Machine Interface and defining the operator capacity as a variable within Hybrid Model Based Control strategies, Saraswati 2.0 went beyond current theoretical frontiers and gained insight into the trade-offs between multiple objectives and constraints, both on operational (Hybrid Model Based Control) and strategic level (system design optimisation).
2. Expected results
All expected results have been achieved so far.
3. Potential impacts
Saraswati 2.0 has in particular contributed to the following impacts:
Contribution to improved and efficient wastewater treatment systems, combined with recovery and reuse of energy, substances and treated wastewater: Saraswati 2.0 has implemented 10 pilot technologies which aim at improved and efficient wastewater treatment combined with reuse of energy including application of renewable energy sources, substances and treated wastewater. Hence, Saraswati 2.0 is also strongly contributing to the principles of a circular economy as e.g. outlined in the EU Action Plan for a circular economy.
Contribution to improved smart and comprehensive solutions for both quality and quantity monitoring and management of water resources: This impact is in so far addressed by Saraswati 2.0 as solutions for quality and quantity monitoring of the water flows within the wastewater treatment plants are concerned.
Contribution to strengthening the Sustainable Development Goals' (SDGs) agenda on water: Saraswasti 2.0 contributes directly to target 6.3 of SDG 6 (by 2020, improve water quality by reducing pollution, …., halving the proportion of untreated wastewater and substantially increasing recycling and safe reuse globally.). Saraswati 2.0 aimed at providing wastewater treatment technologies for nine locations across seven Indian States. All pilots have aimed in particular at increasing recycling and safe reuse of the treated wastewater.