The idea of grass irrigation after purification of sewage at the highest level was implemented through the cooperation of Berlin Technical University, Middle East Technical University (METU) and HUBER A.G.. The implementation started with establishing a VRM (Vacuum Rotating Membrane) bioreactor in the METU campus. The facility that was established firstly with an aim of research has a feature of first bio-membrane and it received fund from METU Technopolis administration as an investment. A tank was built to accumulate trained water by the facility and the tank has started to irrigate Technopolis open land. Overall, 540 m2 drain water that percolates down from the membrane’s surface is purified during summer months and used for grass irrigation. The saving of the facility whose daily capacity is 200 m3 is around 240.000 Turkish Liras.
Moreover, it has been decided to reclaim two pools of old lagoon system through cementing and accumulate drain water here during winter months. In 2010, METU Technopolis completed the renovation of the lagoons and the 15.000 m3 of purified water was accumulated there. Thus, the capacity of the system was increased. As a result, METU VRM facility has been a pioneer in the usage of new and unlimited source in order to sustain the water need of the population that will increase in the near future. Besides, the facility has become a source of inspiration for the Bodrum Konacık town which suffers from water shortage.
A view from METU/ METU Technopolis Membrane Facility
The drain water used at the system of METU/ METU Technopolis Membrane Facility is purified biologically like classical purification; however, the mug percolates down through a membrane instead of removing through precipitation. Treated water is translucent like a crystal. It does not contain any bacteria and is refined from the virus 99, 9%. The treated water not only can be used in daily labor, but also in irrigation of the vegetables that are eaten raw and the turfs with which people are in a direct contact.
Prof. Dr. Celal Gökçay from the Department of Environmental Engineering at METU
While the process of the usage of the treated water in Technopolis open land is in progress, there several research studies have been conducted in the facility. METU Technopolis administration supports this work conducted by Prof. Dr. Celal Gökçay and his students including 5 graduates and 1 postgraduate. Within this framework, Turf, a technology of converting mud emerging from the purification of drain water into valuable agricultural land, has been developed by Prof. Celal Gökçay and patented by METU Technopolis Technology Transfer Office. While the mud can be purified only 40–50% in three weeks with an available technique used at the other purification facilities, thanks to the technology mentioned above, the 80-90% of purification can be achieved in just four days. The mud which is potentially harmful to the environment turns into a type of organic soil in a consequence of thousand years of deposits belongs to plant roots and trunks. With this technology no bacteria is reproduced and the chemical demolisher that causes alterations in hormones in humans and animals is purified 99%.
Republic of Turkey Ministry of Development, United Nations Development Programme, Business Council for Sustainable Development Turkey took part in the preparatory work of the UN Conference on Sustainable Development 2012 (Rio+20) at which METU/ METU Technopolis Membrane Facility will represent Turkey. Also, the implementation is ranked as one of the best implementations that will represent Turkey at the UN Conference on Sustainable Development 2012 (Rio+20). METU/ METU Technopolis Membrane Facility, one of the best implementations that can be taken as a sample of sustainable development and green economy, will represent Turkey at the UN Conference on Sustainable Development 2012 (Rio+20) held in Brazil, June 2012.
