Dubbo Wastewater Plant Starts: New catalyst breaks down stubborn pollutants; city bets on recycled water

Australia has switched on a new advanced wastewater treatment plant in regional New South Wales that could turn discarded sewage effluent into a valuable source of recycled water. The $7.8 million facility in Dubbo can process up to 700 megalitres of wastewater a year, roughly the equivalent of 280 Olympic-sized swimming pools, as the region looks to strengthen its water security. ABC News reported the facility was switched on this week, while Squadron Energy, which helped fund the project, confirmed its capacity and cost.A new approach to treating difficult pollutantsAt the centre of the project is a wastewater treatment technology developed by water treatment scientist Troy Warry. According to Warry, the system can break down stubborn pollutants around 16 times more efficiently than conventional advanced oxidation systems.The technology uses a titanium-dioxide-based catalyst that remains permanently fixed inside the reactor while continuing to be activated by light. Unlike processes that simply filter contaminants out of wastewater, the system is designed to chemically break down pollutants.That includes difficult-to-remove substances such as pesticides, petroleum hydrocarbons, p...