Resource Recovery Potential of Wastewater Treatment Plants in Yogyakarta

Wastewater contains water, nutrients, and energy resources, which can be recovered for human activities. Product from wastewater is one of the solutions to provide energy and food security amidst the looming energy and fertilizer crisis. Unfortunately, wastewater treatment plants in developing countries are often designed not to accommodate the concept of resource recovery. Currently, there is a real lack of feasibility analysis of upgrading existing wastewater treatment plants to accommodate the concept of resource recovery. Therefore, this study aims to determine the resource recovery potential in existing wastewater treatment plants in Yogyakarta and identify their limitations for resource recovery. Two wastewater treatment plants in Yogyakarta were assessed, one with anaerobic treatment, the other with stabilization ponds. The feasibility is assessed by the parameter of wastewater flow, organics, nutrients, and microbiology compounds. The findings of this study will be beneficial for a regional management standpoint to consider the most suitable strategy for wastewater management in Yogyakarta.