New Biocatalyst Technology Improves Water Quality in Wastewater Canals

Photo courtesy: mckaysavage/CC BY 3.0

In some places in the world, for instance India, sewage and wastewater flow into open canals and eventually into waterways, spreading odors and enabling the easy breeding of insects such as flies, which can be a vector for pathogens affecting human health.

An obvious and comprehensive fix would be to overhaul the wastewater and sewage infrastructure to keep potential disease sources contained and processed, but until such time as those projects can be undertaken, there's a simpler, more cost-effective solution for mitigating the effects of open sewage and wastewater canals.

According to one company, BiOWISH, they have developed and released a novel biocatalyst that can be applied to wastewater canals in just ten minutes a day - without a complex or expensive delivery system. BiOWISH says their "Aqua" product can be administered to waterways and sewage systems using just a simple drum, hose, and valve system, and the results are quick and effective, reducing Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) and Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) by 80 to 90%.

"BiOWiSH technology creates a composite biocatalyst from a unique blend of microorganisms, enzymes, and co-factors. Manufactured using a highly-refined, proprietary fermentation process, BiOWiSH enhances biochemical reactions at a faster and more efficient rate than available alternatives over a wide range of environmental conditions." - BiOWISH

The company says their biocatalyst technology can be put to use across multiple industries, including agriculture, aquaculture, and wastewater treatment, and is certified organic and contains no GMO ingredients. The technology is said to work with a broad spectrum of organic matter, and is effective in a variety of diverse environmental conditions.

BiOWISH has released a series of case studies from their work in Pune, India, and says that residents near the canal have reported a "dramatic reduction in odor and flies, potentially reducing the incidences of waterborne pathogens". The company believes their technology to be both cost-effective and environmentally friendly:

"BiOWiSH technology provides municipal governments around the world a simple, cost effective, and environment-friendly solution to treat sewage in open canals. It's estimated that implementing BiOWiSH-Aqua costs about $2-$3 per person per year (USD). That's less than 5% of the cost to install a traditional secondary wastewater treatment system." - David Fennema, BiOWISH Senior EVP for Environment

BiOWISH also produces home/residential solutions as well, to reduce odors and unclogs drains or septic tanks, to accelerate the composting process and keep water in ponds and fountains clean and clear.