The processes that clean wastewater can also produce two potent greenhouse gases: methane and nitrous oxide.
Jeremy Kraemer, wastewater technical director at GHD, explains how those gases form in different parts of a wastewater system. Methane can form in sewers and treatment tanks where oxygen is scarce. The bacteria that convert ammonia to nitrate to protect water quality can also produce nitrous oxide.
Some plants make methane on purpose. In a digester, bacteria break down sludge to produce biogas, which the plant can use for energy. A leak means losing usable fuel and releasing methane into the atmosphere.
For utilities looking to cut emissions, knowing where each gas comes from helps determine what to measure and where to act.
Episode at https://lnkd.in/e44k9bpZ
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