Water: The Elixer of Life - A Headache to Clean Unless…

Written by Michelle Hong Luong

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No, this has to be a joke; there is no way this is happening, I thought. Yet, as the footage and

data display itself across the screen, there is no mistaking it. We didn't anticipate that this

would come so soon, that we would reach capacity so quickly. I watch as the wastewater

treatment system, which was meticulously designed and crafted years ago, fails. The

wastewater from the ever-growing human population refused to be cleaned at the usual

efficiency, and when the workers increased the flow thinking that would solve the problem,

the pollutants broke through; they were released into the ecosystem before the workers

realized and shut down the plant. I thought there would be more time, we thought there would

be more time, to figure out a better, safer, eco-friendly and sustainable way to purify water,

one of the world’s most precious resources, to combat the waste that comes with population

growth, but time is running out, we need to figure something out as soon as possible.

Everyone is always concerned about landfills and the space they occupy since the

accumulation of waste is clearly visible. But water? Water is tricky, even the clearest of water

can have the potential to be deadly. If you were accustomed to having clean water 24/7, you

wouldn't know just how dangerous water can be when it isn’t treated. Sure people are aware

of some problems, such as the amassing garbage patches in the oceans or the potential

chemical runoffs entering the water system, but they are less aware of the water in their

everyday household; where it comes from and where it goes once it is used. That’s where the

problem lies, all the sewage water that needs treatment before being released back into the

ecosystem. No system is perfect, of course, even before this catastrophe, the existing

wastewater treatment facilities were energy-intensive, expensive to run and maintain, and

ultimately unable to filter out new emerging particles and pollutants. Small, harmful

pollutants, such as microplastics and pharmaceuticals, were slipping through the cracks and

being released into rivers and oceans. So here I am, at a meeting with the other team leads

and managers, discussing this problem and what we should do to move forward, to help

figure out a solution, and to design a new system. This was not what I was expecting when I

walked into the office this morning, I did not expect to be called to an urgent meeting where

management would show us the problems our clients are encountering. It seems that one by

one each wastewater treatment plant around the city is reaching capacity, and not just this

city, but across the country. This is an absolute disaster.

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I stare at the whiteboard after our brainstorming session as everyone else exits the

boardroom. A couple of these ideas are out of this world! A system inspired by the digestive

systems of bison, another that proposes using wetlands, fungi and other plants, and another

that goes beyond how to clean water, but how to self-maintain the system as well. I'm excited

to see what comes next and what the world will look like after the next generation of

wastewater systems are fully designed and implemented.

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We finally did it, and after months of plugging away at this, we completed the design

package. I'm sure other companies have developed innovative solutions as well, but I’m

certain that ours, the one we worked so hard on, is one of the best, I have no doubts about it.

The system we design utilizes a filtration system inspired by manta rays that can capture

small pollutants without clogging the system. The filters are so fine they can even capture the

smallest of particles that weren't able to be removed from the water before. These new filters

are designed to resemble the leaf-like lobes that manta rays have. Manta rays use these lobes

to bounce off food particles as water flows through, allowing them to retain food particles

that are often smaller than pores. We found a way to develop a filter that uses a similar shape,

refining it to trap even the smallest of pollutants and particles without causing any build-up or

clogging.

Additionally, the inspiration from bison and wetlands drove the idea of a system that removes

the need for excessive energy usage. Instead of using energy-intensive motors and fans, that

are not only expensive to run but also pose noise and safety concerns for workers,

gravitational potential energy will be used to move water through various chambers and

processes for water treatment. One of the final stages of the treatment uses plants to absorb

nutrients and contaminants. While similar concepts have been implemented in some regions,

we added a bit of a twist. The main concept remains the same, heavier solid materials will

sink to the bottom of initial chambers, while other lighter organic matter and pathogens move

on to the next chamber. However, unlike anything that has been done before, bacteria are not

used to decompose these smaller particles. Instead, we have successfully genetically modified

certain mushrooms to break down certain pollutants and convert them into non-toxic

substances, such as carbohydrates, oxygen, and even more water! This is a breakthrough, as

existing systems that rely on wetlands plants to capture pollutants in the final stages of the

treatment only offer a temporary solution; this is because these pollutants can be released

again once the plant decomposes and dies.

I can't wait to see this system in action, especially as we just received approval to start the

rehab and implementation of this new design. I’m one hundred percent confident this will

change the water management industry significantly.