CURES-Circular Decentralized Systems for Urban Wastewater Treatment, Reuse, and Soil Enrichment

This project introduces a novel system based on wastewater management to support water and food security with urban infrastructures. It proposes an integrated and closed-loop decentralized wastewater treatment solution by integrating engineered and nature-based processes to produce high-quality effluent for non-potable reuse, such as flushing, and to support crop production using biochar derived from the waste by-products. The system integrates a Membrane Aerated BioReactor (MABR) with a living wall bioreactor, supported by engineered substrates derived from local agri-waste, generating effluent and sludge as by-products. The MABR uses oxygen-permeable membranes to enhance nitrification–denitrification with low energy input, maintaining resilience under variable loads. Its effluent is polished in the living wall, which combines vegetation with tailored substrates (hydrogel and biochar) for nutrient and contaminant removal. In addition to treatment efficiency, the living wall provides ecological and aesthetic value, enabling integration into urban spaces and infrastructure. The sludge by-product from MABR and other agri-waste is converted to biochar, which will be applied to recover the nutrients from the effluent within the living wall and to support crop production through enhanced nutrient and water retention. Within this, biochar is modified and optimized through urea coating, then tested for its ability to improve crop yields. This component reinforces the project’s integrated vision of circularity by transforming local waste into materials that support both treatment performance and agricultural productivity. By merging energy-efficient biological processes, nature-based treatment, and local waste valorization, the project establishes a technically robust and environmentally integrated model for next-generation decentralized wastewater management.

Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU)