Can Nereda challenge Membrane Bioreactors? A new era in wastewater treatment

29-06-2025
In June 2025, Global Water Intelligence published an article highlighting how Nereda® is emerging as a serious contender to membrane bioreactors (MBRs) in advanced wastewater treatment.
Nereda plant in Deodoro Brasil

Nereda is redefining the landscape of advanced wastewater treatment by successfully competing with Membrane Bioreactor (MBR) systems in global tenders. By combining its Aerobic Granular Sludge (AGS) technology with ultrafiltration (UF), Nereda is delivering reuse-quality effluent with a smaller footprint, lower capital costs, and significantly reduced operational expenses.

Nereda + UF: A Proven Alternative to MBR

Recent project wins in Brazil, the Middle East, and Australia demonstrate that Nereda® can meet or exceed the performance of MBRs:

  • Sanasa, Brazil: A 96,000 m³/day plant using Nereda and UF membranes achieved reuse-quality effluent with 50% less membrane area than a traditional MBR.
  • Middle East: Nereda® delivered greater treatment capacity (75,000 m³/day vs. 67,500 m³/day) in the same footprint, with 40% lower operating costs.
  • Australia: A project near Adelaide initially specified MBR, but value engineering revealed that Nereda® with a disc filter met all effluent requirements more efficiently.

Compact, cost-effective, and energy-efficient

Nereda operates at similar sludge concentrations as MBRs but requires less membrane surface area due to lower suspended solids before filtration. This results in:

  • Lower capital expenditure
  • Higher membrane flux rates
  • Reduced energy consumption

Complementing MBRs, not just competing

In Singapore, PUB is piloting the world’s first integrated AGS-MBR system, using Nereda to treat peak flows and reduce membrane load, potentially cutting energy use by up to 30%. Nereda is proving to be a powerful, flexible, and sustainable alternative to membrane bioreactors.

Read the full article here*: Can Nereda take the fight to membrane bioreactors? | GWI

*Please note you have to be a subscriber to Global Water Intelligence to read the full article

Andreas  Giesen - Director Technology (Nereda) and Leading Professional, Water Technology

Andreas Giesen

Director Technology (Nereda) and Leading Professional, Water Technology