UKWIR calls for national monitoring of sewage treatment greenhouse emissions

Water industry research body,UKWIR has recommended creation of a national monitoring programme for monitoring emissions of greenhouse gases, methane and nitrous oxide, from sewage treatment plants. In a recent report it concluded that monitoring campaigns to date have followed different methodologies, “not allowing easy comparisons between campaign details and outcomes.”

The conclusion was among others in a report, Quantifying and reducing direct greenhouse gas emissions from wastewater treatment processes - Phase 2. The report covers a project “to start the practical journey for the UK and Irish water industry in the understanding of their process emission of nitrous oxide and fugitive emissions of methane from wastewater treatment plants.” UKWIR said the project has produced two key deliverables:

• a technical report that includes “methodologies for data collection and analysis, a review of monitoring campaigns, review of equipment used for nitrous oxide and methane monitoring, case studies, and relevance and learnings for the UK and Irish water sector”; and

• a Good Practice Guide that presents the key points from the technical report focussing on good practice case studies and practical examples of installation, calibration, use of equipment and derivations of emission factors.