You are in: Home > Get to know us > Exhibitions from the Umweltbundesamt > Sustainable and rational use of water and energy - examples from Germany > Small-scale sewage treatment plant

Exhibitions from the Umweltbundesamt (Federal Environment Agency)

Virtual visit to our exhibition "Sustainable and rational use of water and energy - examples from Germany"

Last changed: 05/05/2009

Small-scale sewage treatment plant: Turning wastewater into service water

Waste water recycling using membrane technology closes ecological loop

The BusseMF small-scale sewage treatment plant is the first to use microfiltration membranes - the best waste water purification process currently available. This innovative system is odour-free during operation, requires little construction work and servicing, and has a high water saving effect. The treated waste water can be used for varied purposes, such as to water plants, flush the WC or wash laundry.

The plant has a purification efficiency superior to that of large-scale plants. It even removes bacteria and viruses. The treated waste water is cleaner than the quality the European Union requires for bathing water.

Advantages at a glance:

Cleans all domestic waste water without addition of rainwater
Reduces domestic drinking water consumption by up to one third through reuse of the treated water as service water (e.g. to water the garden or flush the WC)
Direct discharge to surface or coastal waters possible due to classification of the purified waste water as service water meeting bathing water quality as defined in Directive 76/160/EC
Secure investment as the treated water is considerably cleaner than required by the relevant legislation
The aseptic condition of plant effluent makes it possible to use BusseMF in drinking water protection areas and FFH protection areas
Reliable functioning and high purification efficiency continuously maintained through qualified service personnel
Installation in places not exposed to the weather assures accessibility for servicing at all times of the year
Low operating costs through intelligent control technology
Inherent process features obviate the need for regular sludge disposal
Operational within a few hours - no major construction required
No additional construction costs for standard setup
Low space requirement due to new process technology
High level of safety due to the use of double-wall safety tanks consisting of PE plastic with a jacket of galvanised steel plate
Low noise emissions due to quietly running compressors
Modular design allows plant capacity to be expanded from 4 to 100 population equivalents
Automatic unattended mode ensures that biological efficiency is fully maintained for up to 4 weeks of absence