Skip to content

Perspective

Wastewater treatment

Energy recovery from wastewater

Resource recovery from wastewater

+1

Wastewater treatment is of global importance

The following article is a foreword for the publication "Unlocking the potential of wastewater" by Denmark’s Minister for Environment, Magnus Heunicke.

Forewords by Magnus Heunicke

The following section is written by Denmark’s Minister for Environment, Magnus Heunicke.

Discover the full publication

Globally, it is important to act responsibly to protect people and the environment from intensive, untreated wastewater streams. We need efficient treatment of our wastewater to protect our health and natural environment. With the right technologies, wastewater can become a valuable resource, turning sludge from treated wastewater into energy and transferring heat from the treatment process to the district heating networks.

Severe environmental degradation of many inland and coastal waters around the world is the outcome of decades of uncontrolled discharge of wastewater. Globally, about 80 percent of wastewater is discharged untreated to the surrounding environment, which has major consequences for human health, biodiversity and the environment.

Denmark realised the severe effects of a growing population and a blooming industry at a very early stage. Today, as a result of progressive efforts, more than 95 percent of all wastewater is treated.

In Denmark, wastewater is considered a valuable resource.

The Danish water sector has a goal of becoming energy and climate-neutral by 2030 – and perhaps even net producers of energy. That is an ambitious goal which requires cooperation between Danish authorities, water utilities, companies and organisations if we are to create more innovative solutions, adding value for both water consumers and the society as a whole.

Today, wastewater is a resource for reuse, extraction of nutrients, energy production and soil improvement. And this is an example of how Denmark contributes to finding solutions to some of the world’s major water and climate challenges, in accordance with a number of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.

If properly treated, wastewater may for example be reused as technical water in some industries, as irrigation water for crops and for recreational purposes. The number of available solutions is plenty but to harvest the full potential of investments in wastewater treatment, it is crucial to look ahead and think long-term. Wastewater should no longer be thought of as a problem but as a resource. We must make the most of the water we have, including wastewater.

This white paper features a series of best practice examples of wastewater treatment – both centralised and decentralised. Although many of these solutions have been created within a Danish context, they are scalable and applicable for a global audience.

Unlocking the potential of wastewater

Discover our white paper and learn how to use wastewater as a resource while protecting people and ecosystems.

Discover the white paper

You should consider reading

Energy recovery from wastewater
Resource recovery from wastewater
Wastewater management
Wastewater treatment

solutions

District cooling

+13

Smart combination of district cooling, district heating and waste water in Taarnby

3 April 2020
Denmark is well-known for smart sustainable energy solutions in cities harvesting the synergis of sector integration. Taarnby Forsyning can in 2020 start operation of a unique energy plant, including

solutions

Buildings

+12

Harbour Houses

2 June 2022
262 mixed social housing units for a wide range of residents – young people, families and elderly at the former container harbour in central Aarhus. How to combine the need for affordable housing with the two contrasting scales of the inner harbour of Aarhus – on one side the large urban