What We Find in the Sewers
14 days ago
- #sanitation
- #urban_mining
- #public_health
- Sewage has evolved from a waste product to a valuable resource, mined for nutrients, energy, and data.
- Early societies, like Neolithic farmers and the Romans, utilized sewage for agriculture, fuel, and industrial purposes.
- The development of sewage systems, like London's by Joseph Bazalgette, marked a shift towards public health and sanitation.
- Modern sewage treatment technologies, such as activated sludge, focus on removing pollutants but also strip valuable nutrients.
- Urban mining initiatives now extract phosphorus, nitrogen, and even precious metals from sewage.
- Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) leverages sewage to monitor public health, detect diseases, and track drug use.
- Sewage is increasingly seen as a source of renewable energy, water, and biomass, reducing reliance on traditional resources.
- The future of sewage management lies in integrating its utility back into human life, balancing health, sustainability, and resource recovery.