Imagine being able to use every bit of municipal wastewater sludge so there is nothing left to dispose. That’s what NOWA Technology in Prairie Village is working on. The company has invented a system that chemically extracts biodiesel feedstock, cellulose and about 20 different minerals from sludge, leaving nothing to be disposed of or to contaminate the groundwater or air.

NOWA’s technology cuts the cost of municipal wastewater sludge disposal in half from the day it is implemented. It also eliminates the adverse environmental impact associated with current methods of sludge disposal, such as incineration and landfills. Furthermore, it produces a biodiesel feedstock that can generate additional revenue. And by 2014, this technology is expected to produce operating income of approximately $27 million.

In light of the promising impact NOWA’s technology could have, the KBA awarded the company a $1.5 million loan to support commercialization. The support is helping the company construct pilot plants, which should lead to additional private funding. NOWA plans to have demonstration plants up and running this fall.