Korean consortium wins IWA Award for Best Practices on Resource Recovery

Partnered with Watershare, the International Water Association’s (IWA) Resource Recovery Cluster has concluded the IWA Award for Best Practice on Resource Recovery from Water on 7 August 2017. The consortium of technology provider POSCO Engineering and Construction together with Korea Environment Corporation (K-eco) and Anyang City, has won the prestigious biennial Best Practices Award for the Water and Energy Independent wastewater treatment plant in Anyang Saemul Park. Korea’s sewage treatment plant Anyang Saemul Park has secured its self-sufficiency through the recovery of water and energy resources. The chairman of the jury Willy Verstraete presented the award during the 2nd IWA International Resource Recovery Conference in New York.

Alternative to primary sources

The recovery of resources from water and wastewater is expected to constitute an important alternative to extraction from primary, and thus finite, sources. The resources recovered from the water cycle are water itself, but also energy, nutrients and other components such as metals. The winners merit the Best Practices Award because they represent today the best example worldwide of the large-scale and economically feasible valorisation and use of resources from the water cycle.

From consuming energy to production

Saemul Park, which means new water, is located in Anyang City, Korea and is a fully underground sewage treatment plant. Kwak Donggeun, of POSCO Engineering and Construction, says: “This award is a strong sign of recognition for the innovative design and construction of Anyang Saemul Park sewage treatment plant. This case shows the transformation of a sewage treatment plant from the one where energy was consumed and water was released to the one that produces energy and collects the water resources. In order to increase the synergy of cooperation in the cycle of resource recovery, each stakeholder’s requirement must be met. It should form social consensus on resource recovery, stimulate technology development through related laws and institutional devices, and actively invest and support.”

The award was given by IWA’s President Diane D’Arras. She strongly supports the concept of Resource Recovery as a line of attention for the IWA and she congratulated the Cluster and the winner for their achievements.

Sharing experiences to innovate

Partnered with KWR in 2015, the first Best Practices Award was awarded jointly to AquaMinerals ( before Reststoffenunie), Waternet and industrial companies Ardagh Glass and Desso, for their inspired work on recycling calcium carbonate from wastewater for use in three industrial processes. This time the Award is given to recovery and reuse of water and energy from wastewater. Kees Roest, representing Watershare during the Award Ceremony in New York says: “By mutually sharing and learning from the experiences of different areas as well as from colleagues from other regions, performance improvement and creative application of innovative solutions will be possible. This fits within the philosophies of both IWA and Watershare.”

Jury

The IWA Award jury consisted of:

1. W. Verstraete, chairman (IWA Resource Recovery Cluster)
2. J. Keller (University of Queensland, Australia)
3. H. De Clippeleir (DC Water, USA)
4. S. Filipsson (IVL, Sweden)
5. D. Daigger (IWA past president, USA)