Preserving Value and Treating Sewage Naturally

Utilities and developers both have similar challenges when it comes to providing sewage treatment for master planned communities. As asset owners they both need to treat sewage in an energy efficient manner, with a plant that is cost effective to construct and operate, and using technology that meets compliance. The Organica Food Chain Reactor (FCR) is a nature based solution that combines plants with engineered media to provide a compact, energy efficient and aesthetically pleasing treatment facility. The design suits a wide variety of applications, from a small community of 800 people (EP) to a high density urban population of 800,000 EP.

Energy efficiency is a major concern when considering the circular economic benefits of a treatment solution, and on this front, Organica is a sector leader with a 30% reduction in energy consumption when compared with traditional technology.

By incorporating a nature based solution to its design, energy efficiency is achieved because the majority of the biomass is fixed on the natural plant roots and engineered media structures within the Food Chain Reactor, resulting in less suspended solids throughout the treatment process. A clearer liquor means more efficient oxygen transfer in the aeration process, and as such, a 30% reduction in power consumption.

The circular economic potential of greenfield and brownfield construction also pins Organica’s CAPEX value to the ‘best in size’ category as a result of the nature based approach.

Once again the concentration of biomass on the root system means halving the footprint of traditional bioreactor when compared with equivalent traditional treatment. While the reduction of size means less construction, the nature based appeal means an Organica treatment plant can be located front-of-house as a community feature in round-abouts, built environments down town, or as garden parks in urban communities.

The compact footprint and natural appeal of the Organica treatment plant means less construction and more opportunity to locate the plant anywhere in the community.

For existing utilities, the stand out appeal of Organica may well be its ability to be retrofitted to existing treatment plants. A retrofit approach eliminates the need for construction of new Food Chain Reactor tanks and when considering circular economic hierarchy, elimination is the best means to reduce impact and cost.

While OPEX and CAPEX benefits mean Organica is a ‘best of class’ solution, the Food Chain Reactor technology means an Organica plant provides a robust and stable treatment process offering more consistent performance and greater potential for turning unwanted discharges into valuable resources.

At its base level, the Organica treatment process delivers ‘Class B’ effluent or effluent licensed for environmental discharge. With the addition of a tertiary treatment step for effluent reuse, and Hydroflux’s trademark bio-solid management for sludge handling, the Organica process becomes fully circular in a true sense of the word, producing water for reuse applications and sludge with the potential to become soil amendment for agricultural benefits.

The Organica Food Chain Reactor preserves value along the entire life cycle from construction to operation and is a treatment plant with the potential to become a community icon and even a badge of sustainable honour worthy of national awards.

To learn more on Organica please click here, or contact us on 09 352 2052.

About the Hydroflux Group

The Hydroflux Group aims to deliver the highest level of engineering and scientific know-how to the emerging issues of sustainability, climate adaptation and environmental protection with a specific focus on water and wastewater.

As part of its vision and mission, Hydroflux has always taken its climate responsibility seriously. In 2022, Hydroflux became Australia’s first water treatment and technology company to achieve Climate Active carbon neutral certification for its organisation and products. It knows that partnering with customers and clients is the most significant impact it can have in its journey. The Group employs over 100 staff and operates throughout Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands, with office locations in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Auckland, Suva and Portsmouth.