Full-scale project shows effective removal of pharmaceutical residues

Pharmaceutical residues can be removed so effectively from treated wastewater that the water complies with future European standards. The treated wastewater can also be reused as a sustainable source of industrial water. This is one of the key conclusions of a three-year research project called REGAIN, carried out in the Netherlands.

Within the project, three innovative treatment technologies were tested. Biological Oxygen Dosed Activated Carbon, constructed wetlands using reeds and other plants, and very fine coated membranes. According to the final project report that is published on the REGAIN-website, these technologies enable the large-scale removal of pharmaceutical residues from wastewater in the Groningen region of the Netherlands.

Demonstration project

“We are extremely pleased with these results,” says Géanne Kremer of the regional water authority Noorderzijlvest. This water authority participated in the REGAIN project together with industrial water producer North Water, water laboratory WLN, and the Centre of Expertise Watertechnology (CEW). “Previous tests had shown that these technologies were promising at pilot scale, but they had not yet been demonstrated at full scale,” Kremer explains. “That has now been achieved at the Garmerwolde Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP). The project initially aimed to meet existing water treatment standards, but it soon became clear that the treated water also complies with stricter European standards that will apply in the future.”

Wastewater reused by industry

According to the recast Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive (UWWTD), from 2045 onwards, large wastewater treatment plants across Europe will be required to introduce an additional treatment step to remove pharmaceutical residues, PFAS, and other persistent substances from wastewater. The REGAIN project focused on two challenges: reducing pollution of surface waters and the Wadden Sea, and meeting the growing demand for freshwater for industrial use. “The project represents a major step forward in removing pharmaceutical residues from wastewater and in creating a viable business case for the circular reuse of this water by industry,” Kremer says.

Full-scale installation

Additional treatment steps are still required to make the treated wastewater suitable for industrial use. “Proven technologies are already available for this purpose. In the coming period, we will work with our partners to determine how we can move towards a fully operational full-scale installation. We also need to decide whether we will use just one treatment technology or a combination of technologies. The aim is to have this in place within a few years, well ahead of the European regulatory deadline.”

This article was published first by the Dutch platform for water professionals H2O Magazine