Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) in partnership with Embu Water Sanitation Company (EWASCO) have launched a research project to implement “Waste water treatment for climate change innovation and commercialization.”
The project, launched on March 20, 2025, is spearheaded by two JKUAT scientists: Dr. Dennis Magu (Senior Medicolegal Epidemiologist) and Mr. Evans Ogondi (Public Health Technologist) and the EWASCO Managing Director, Engineer James Njeru.
According to Eng. Njeru, the project will undertake management of climate change waste water challenges to transform Embu and Kirinyaga counties.
The innovative waste water treatment system involves compartments that consist of membrane filters which hold, treat, filter contaminants, bacteria and viruses, using biological aeration to increase dissolved oxygen.
It is expected that under the project, a recommended ratio of sludge to dried algae will generate foliar and organic fertilizer, biogas, energy, construction bricks and clean water for irrigation, thus reducing carbon emissions.
While conducting air quality monitoring, the scientists are banking on the current real time innovative technology to monitor the particulate matter levels for environmental habitation.
This, Mr. Ogondi reveals, further reduces the volume, costs of sewage treatment, strain to infrastructure and county resources.
“The key focus of the waste water treatment innovation system is to improve livelihood, energy, bio-ecosystem conservation, health, settlements, reduction of carbon footprints and restoration of habitats to mitigate the impact of climate change,” Dr. Magu states.
Eng. Njeru appreciated the JKUAT partners for their support to address the adverse effects of climate change which cause health challenges due to diseases, poor hygiene, greenhouse emissions and unsanitary conditions, which have caused multiplication of pathogens leading to antibiotic-resistant infections.
The scientific approach, if scaled up, will advance the blue economy, Kenya Vision 2030 and United Nations sustainable development goals.
The project maintains activation of bacteria present to consume oxygen and digest organic contaminants providing climate change resilience,” explains Mr. Ogondi.
“We are committed to promote value addition, enhance integration of noble e-mobility ideas, leverage renewable energy collaborations to formulate sustainable solutions for future scale up,” Eng. Njeru added.
A critical aspect of the multidisciplinary approach adopted by the project is that the approach leverages political, social health and natural sciences initiatives to strengthen community resilience by offering job opportunities, income generation and climate smart agriculture techniques to enhance food security.
The initiative rides on the multidisciplinary synergy of researchers, county governments, community and other partners on climate change and health, climate-smart agriculture, value addition, public and environmental health, as well as geographical information systems for efficiency and effectiveness.
Dr. Magu indicated intellectual property registration and protection by patenting the innovation collaboratively between the project partners.