Progress report for
BKT Tomorrow Water Project
Achievement at a glance
In 2016, BKT continuously prepared the innovative unit technologies of the Tomorrow Water Process (TWP).For example, one of the core biological treatment technologies using the Anammox bacteria is being successfully tested in LA, California where its warm climate enables to overcome today’s limitations of the cutting-edge technological elements. Calibrated correctly with energy production through thermo-hydrolysis and anaerobic digestion, which is also being successfully performed in various sites of South Korea, the synergy built upon the three distinct stages will minimize energy consumption while producing unprecedented water quality for reuse.
Challenges faced in implementation
The key to a successful achievement of Tomorrow Water Initiative is the convergence of certified innovative technologies. After securing the performance of individual unit technologies, BKT is searching for an ideal site to serve as a demonstration hub. To achieve the successful optimization and dissemination of TWP, it is essential to operate this test facility as an origin for technological convergence. Hence, by combining and streamlining TWP’s technical details, BKT intends to validate its full capabilities both for the developing world and for developed nations that can adopt some or all of the TWP technologies for energy savings and income generation during the wastewater treatment process.Therefore, the biggest challenge BKT is facing in implementation today is identifying the appropriate site and the funding for this demonstration hub. Since today’s limitations of the cutting-edge technological elements of the TWP require taking advantage of the warm temperatures inherent to the climate characteristics near the Equator, BKT is having difficulties finding the ideal site. Moreover, as BKT is preparing to deliver a solution which is considered a new value to the world, BKT is facing challenges to find the appropriate and adequate collaborators and funds that fully understand BKT’s intentions and goals.
Next Steps
BKT will keep searching for an ideal site to construct and operate a test facility to serve as a demonstration hub. To achieve successful optimization and dissemination of TWP, BKT will strive to achieve active pursuit and development of broad-based collaboration and knowledge sharing. In this point of view, the developed country with a tropical or temperate climate similar to that of developing nations may also be ideal for its accessibility to additional economic and intellectual resources necessary to support simultaneous technological refinement.With all possibilities at hand, BKT will also be persistent in solidifying an advisory board of academic, political, and policy experts to streamline TWP’s technical details and validate its full capabilities. In behalf of this, BKT has successfully hosted the first conference of Team Tomorrow Water in July, 2016 with various members from both South Korea and the United States, and plans to continue hosting the annual conferences for the delivery of the Tomorrow Water Initiative with the best experts and leaders of the field.
Beneficiaries
(Expected) Kigali, Rwanda / (Expected) Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Actions
In 2016, BKT contacted the Rwandan government to make a proposal of the SDGs Center for Africa.With Tomorrow Water Initiative’s key values combined, BKT planned to build a symbolic SDGs center for Africa with Tomorrow wastewater treatment plant. With the wastewater treatment plant fully underground the UN SDGs center, it will have minimized energy consumption while producing unprecedented water quality for reuse. By this symbolic monument, BKT planned to bring environmentalism, education, and tourism to the local society with broad-based collaborations and knowledge sharing.
Also, in Ho Chi Minh City of Vietnam, BKT is proposing to combine Tomorrow Water Initiative’s key values to the city’s wastewater sludge treatment complex. Through the convergence of TWP’s innovative technologies, BKT aims to deliver energy savings and income generation to the local society during the wastewater treatment process. Not only economic benefits by cost reduction of sludge treatment and additional income by fertilizer production and carbon credits, but also by employment of locals for knowledge sharing and technology transfer will truly lead the Tomorrow Water Initiative to reflect the key of the SDGs.