Water is essential for life, and as such, it is irreplaceable in the operation of all living systems, including cities. Therefore, urban circularity cannot be obtained without first achieving an effective water cycle, where residents and businesses have continuous access to safe, clean water within the boundaries of their city. Using advanced biological engineering, Biopolus has created a modular, high-tech living system for complex circular urban water treatment and management to help cities transition from their current linear system to a long-lasting and regenerative circular model.

A decentralised network of BioMakeries (urban metabolic hubs) are powered by Biopolus MNR Technology to harness clean water, energy, nutrients, and minerals from wastewater and organic waste. Modular and fully integrated into the urban environment, BioMakeries treat and recycle wastewater, while also providing a platform for circular urban infrastructure integration, all with a beautiful garden aesthetic. From wastewater and organic waste, the BioMakeries produce intermediary products that can then be further processed to a wide scale of valuable end products such as reuse water, food and feed, biopolymers, etc. The full treatment process takes place in an array of reactors. As the water flows through, it is continually cleaned, as the specialised ecology of the different tanks break down different contaminants. The path and volumetric distribution of wastewater between the reactors is controlled by process management software and can dynamically adapt to the changing loads for process optimisation.

Traditional large and smelly wastewater treatment facilities can be replaced by modular, compact, and odour-free BioMakeries, which free up valuable land for redevelopment and create a platform where energy, food, and organic waste systems are built around a regenerative and sustainable water cycle. The MNR technology is designed to be compact and modular, meaning it can be expanded and scaled to the desired size. The technology can also be arranged in a vertical or horizontal configuration allowing for maximum architectural flexibility. With its garden-like atmosphere and odour-free nature, the BioMakery can be placed into any urban environment.

The first European BioMakery was completed in 2018, at the Koningshoeven Trappist Abbey and Brewery. The plant treats industrial wastewater from the brewery, and municipal wastewater from the Abbey and visitor centre to a high quality. The water is reused on-site for irrigation and local aquifer recharge. There are plans to later re-use the water at the brewery for bottle rinsing. Thermal energy is also recovered from the wastewater and used to heat the greenhouses.

Photo by Erwan Hesry on Unsplash