Wastewater Gardens is the passion of Mark Nelson. Best known for running the sewage works in Biosphere 2, Nelson spent two years inside this sealed ecological experiment. He converted wastewater into a wetland that produced flowers and animal fodder , as well as rice, bananas, papayas and other food for him and seven coworkers. Visitors peering into the glass dome would gape and grimace when they saw Nelson splooshing around in water reclaimed from human waste. Even today, Nelson gets a kick out of wastewater shock value.
Sewage is a wonderful, untapped resource.
It's been treated like this toxic substance that we have to get rid of, but really it's a valuable commodity. No one wants to be around when the wind blows the wrong way. Besides the stench, chemical systems can be hazardous to human and environmental health. The noxious mix of chlorine and organics produces a slew of cancer-causing compounds. And most high-tech sewage plants remove little of the nitrogen and phosphorous that threaten groundwater and coastal habitats.