Tapping in the potential of wastewater

a leader in research and development of ground breaking technologies in nature based water treatment, green energy and resilient cities

Mthokozisi Mzingaye Moyo

WasteMoney

WasteMoney (Pvt) Ltd was founded in 2018 by Mthokozisi Mzingaye Moyo with the mandate to address the water, energy and food challenges faced in Zimbabwe. The solutions were to be derived from what was commonly deemed as waste by society hence the name ‘WasteMoney.

Mthokozisi Mzingaye Moyo

our vision

Our aim is to assist society in becoming more eco-friendly through research and development of innovative green technologies in the water treatment, green energy and food industry.

challenges

Waste water is characterised by the potential to cause life threatening conditions due to the bacteria and viruses from faecal matter. The poor disposal of wastewater has seen Cholera and Typhoid claiming lives in many African countries. With creating a circular economy in water becoming more pertinent, WasteMoney sees the need to accelerate the development of home grown solutions in the treatment of waste water and methods to reclaim polluted water bodies. Our long term goal is to provide municipals and industry with tailor made nature based waste water treatment solutions which are passive and have a low energy demand such as Reed beds and solar powered UV treatment solutions. The water can then be reused for making the CBD green to cool the heat island that forms in the city centre.

Reeds beds (also known as artificial wetlands) are an example of a Nature Based Solution (NBS) which is used to treat water through Phytoremediation. The reeds remove, transfer, stabilize and/or destroy contaminants in the water. As compared to other waste water treatment options such as Return Activated Sludge (RAS), reed beds do not require a lot of energy and the maintenance costs are low. This makes the technology ideal for an African setup where capital to invest in high sewer treatment is not readily available.

solution

UV light, especially UV-C which has a wavelength of 220 to 290 nm, as a disinfectant, kills microorganisms such as bacteria by damaging their DNA, making them unable to reproduce. In photolysis it can be used for direct breakdown of different compounds and chemicals, and in Advanced Oxidation Processes UV light is used together with an oxidizer such as hydrogen peroxide to break down tougher, persistent, and more complex compounds. Using solar power makes the system more cost efficient and ideal for decentralized waste water treatment.

Progress
to date

Reed Beds - Formulated a way to germinate reeds Designed a trial bed

UV Treatment - Secured UV treatment machine

Next - Phase Testing Autonomous Lab

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Invest in research startUps . Dreamlist LAB)

Drive Nature based solutions and Solar powered UV light disinfection for waste water treatment in Africa.

Frequently Asked Questions

what is the difference in price between the traditional OPEX and reedbed OPEX?

Classical systems OPEX $54 – $107/PE/Year
Reedbed OPEX $7 – $13/PE/Year (5 to 13 times less)