Center Leads International Roadmap Defining the Future of Biotechnology for Sustainable Wastewater Treatment
June 16, 2026 – As communities around the world face growing challenges related to climate change, water scarcity, emerging contaminants, and aging infrastructure, researchers are reimagining wastewater treatment as more than a pollution-control process. Increasingly, wastewater is being viewed as a valuable source of water, energy, and recoverable resources that can support a more sustainable future.
To help guide this transition, New York State Center for Clean Water Technology (CCWT) Associate Director Dr. Xinwei Mao recently led the development of the "2025 Roadmap on Biotechnology for Wastewater Treatment" which has been accepted for publication in the international journal Sustainability Science and Technology. The roadmap is the result of a major international collaboration involving researchers from the United States, New Zealand, China, Australia, and Saudi Arabia, representing leading institutions including Stony Brook University, Penn State University, Cornell University, the University of California system, the University of Auckland, Shenzhen University, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the University of Queensland, and King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST).
Researchers from CCWT played a prominent role in the effort. In addition to serving as lead editor and corresponding author, Dr. Mao coordinated contributions from an international team of experts and authored the roadmap's introduction. CCWT researchers Dr. Mian Wang, Dr. Siwei Chen, and Dr. Yuyin Tang contributed a section focused on the fundamentals of biological wastewater treatment and future research priorities.
The roadmap provides an overview of emerging environmental biotechnologies that are transforming wastewater treatment and water resource management. The publication examines scientific advances, current challenges, and future research needs in areas including nutrient removal and recovery, anaerobic wastewater treatment, membrane bioreactors, contaminants of emerging concern, onsite and agricultural wastewater treatment, algae-based systems, groundwater bioremediation, greenhouse gas mitigation, and advanced molecular biology tools.
A major theme throughout the roadmap is the transition toward sustainable and circular wastewater management. The authors highlight technologies such as anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox), microbial fuel cells, resource recovery systems, methane utilization, and artificial intelligence-assisted process optimization that have the potential to reduce energy consumption, lower greenhouse gas emissions, and recover valuable resources from wastewater.
The roadmap also outlines pathways toward net-zero wastewater treatment by 2050, emphasizing the need for innovative biological processes that can simultaneously protect water quality, conserve resources, and support climate action.
"Biotechnology is transforming the way we think about wastewater treatment," said Dr. Mao. "Future wastewater systems will not only protect public health and the environment, but will also recover nutrients, generate renewable energy, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and contribute to a more sustainable and resilient water infrastructure. This roadmap brings together international expertise to help define the research priorities needed to achieve that vision."
Beyond reviewing recent advances, the roadmap serves as a forward-looking framework for researchers, utilities, engineers, policymakers, and industry partners. By identifying critical knowledge gaps and future directions, the authors aim to accelerate innovation and foster collaboration across the global water sector.
The publication further demonstrates CCWT's leadership in advancing sustainable water technologies and addressing some of the world's most pressing environmental challenges through research, innovation, and international partnerships.
Why It Matters
- Wastewater treatment is essential for protecting public health and water quality but remains energy-intensive and contributes to greenhouse gas emissions.
- Emerging biotechnologies can transform wastewater into a source of clean water, renewable energy, and recoverable nutrients.
- Achieving net-zero wastewater treatment will be critical for meeting future sustainability and climate goals.
- The roadmap identifies key scientific and technological priorities needed to advance the next generation of sustainable wastewater treatment systems.
- The work highlights CCWT's leadership in international efforts to develop innovative solutions for global water challenges.