Making waves: Breaking the bottleneck of recycling drinking water treatment residue for practical engineering applications in water pollution control

Abstract

Drinking water treatment residue (DWTR), an inevitable byproduct of water treatment plants, is typically recycled to control water pollution. DWTR poses a low environmental risk and has the potential to function as a functional material for various applications. However, the practical engineering applications of DWTR are limited. These limitations arise from a disconnect between fundamental research and the practical needs of engineering applications, creating a bottleneck for the effective recycling of DWTR. Previous studies have primarily focused on exploring potential DWTR recycling methods that reuse Al, Fe, Mn, Ca, Si, and organic C. However, the varying properties of DWTR obtained from different water treatment plants tend to differ with respect to potential recycling methods, confusing managers and engineers in using relevant knowledge to guide practical engineering applications. To address this challenge, the author advocates for a shift in research toward establishing guidelines that provide direct guidance for practical engineering applications of DWTR. The key components of these guidelines should include risk assessment, capability evaluation, and environmental application procedures with sustainability assessment to break the bottleneck associated with the recycling of DWTR.