John Mmbaga
Circular economy: Wastewater redefined
We left the offices and started our short field tour. I thought that we would just take a walk but the terrain was challenging besides the possibility of encoun…
Recovery of crop nutrients from wastewater
It is possible that some of the vegetables we have eaten have been grown using wastewater. This does pose numerous problems such as exposure to toxic metals, ba…
Sewage and its potential as a drinking water source
Resources are all around us.But rarely do we think of water as a resource especially when considering wastewater. Yet for over 50 years, Veolia, a utility compa…
Reclaiming polluted water: capacitive desalination
Treatment of effluents from industries before discharge into the environment is a subject of concern today because of the disease burden it creates. Among the p…
Groundwater nitrate and why it should concern us
What do grazing cattle, usage of fertilizers and poor sanitation have in common? Well, these activities affect our drinking water in more ways than we could ima…
Our environment and the carcinogenic free-fall
The environment offers us opportunities to thrive. But careless human activities have adversely exposed us to threats that not only lead to environmental damage…
Emerging pollutants: Emerging threats
Ever asked yourself about the costs of technological progress? Among them, emerging pollutants are inconspicuous new kids on the dirty block bringing with them …
Rice husks: Agro-waste useful in water treatment
Rice production releases tonnes of waste material called rice husks. Though different innovations on their usage have been tried, one promising application is i…
Water disinfection: looking beyond chlorine
Ever since the discovery of microscopic life, man has always been weary of bacteria in water. And rightfully so. Microorganisms in water are associated with a n…
Toxic ‘river’ in the city
Rarely do you walk through an informal settlement (slum) and miss out a run off, a stream or even a river. Being mainly zones that are neglected by the ‘powers …
Water, the food chain and persistent pesticides
Though pesticides are meant to help manage pests and diseases, some linger in our environments long after use. Such is the case with a special class of pesticid…
Water is life: A geological ‘raw deal’
The descent into Kenya’s Rift Valley is a scene to remember. The escarpment abruptly lets you into an open space with your eyes wandering tens if not hundreds o…
Water is life: Acidic water
From the first day I tasted hot lemon water, I have always ensured that I take it religiously every evening before retiring to bed. Several things are appealing…
Water is life: The unease about race
The death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minessota precipitated a global movement with a life of it’s own. Before this event, Black Lives Matter was just an am…
Water is life: The messy synthetic concoction
Arguably, no other type of pollutants create such a mess in our drinking water like synthetic stuff… Man-made chemicals used for different purposes but which so…
Water is life: ‘Forever chemicals’
Rarely are nicknames used when describing serious pollutants in our water. But ‘forever chemicals’ attract a nickname for a couple of reasons: Firstly, they are…
Water disinfection: the chlorine dilemma
Irresponsible human activity never leaves our environment the same. Though man-made, synthetic chemicals useful in industry, agriculture and medicine have made …
Wastewater and the energy/agriculture nexus
Wastewater in many ways is not a waste but a resource. And the difference is how we choose to look at it. For the most part though a filthy sewage river is repu…
Water is life: invading seawater
The mangrove tree is a wonder by any standards… Growing right along the shoreline, it creates a unique ecosystem for many shoreline sea creatures that thrive on…
Antibiotics in water: an emerging challenge
Indiscriminate use of antibiotics creates a major problem: bacterial resistance. So what’s that got to do with water? Growth of suburban neighborhoods in develo…