ABSTRACT
Due to fast population expansion and wastewater production as a result of that expansion, freshwater supply is diminishing annually due to anthropogenic activities. Urban and industrial wastewater that has not been cleaned is released into the surrounding environment. It pollutes and reduces the quality surface waters. Villages account for around 70% of India’s population, and they need better sanitation. Rural regions are usually un-sewered, owing to a lack of water supply required for the efficient functioning of the water transport network as well as the dispersed population. Traditional technologies for wastewater treatment having a considerable carbon impact on the environment require mechanical processes and should be rendered economical while also being simple to operate. To get beyond the roadblocks that come with it, earthworm-assisted bio-remediation, which uses earthworms in a filter-bed to treat effluent waste, has shown to be a viable option in contrast to standard “treatment and recycling” techniques. Because of its simplicity, the application of the earthworm bioremediation method in sewage-water treatment is simple to implement in underdeveloped nations and processes water to appropriate levels. In this chapter, the application of earthworm assisted bio-filtration technology for the treatment and reuse of local and industrial wastes utilizing different filter designs and methods are presented. Furthermore, new possibilities for improving the efficacy of the earthworm assisted bio-remediation technology for “wastewater treatment and recycling” are discussed.
