Bottoms Up! Manure Turned Into Drinking Water

Scientists in the US have developed technology that can turn cow manure into drinkable water.

The anaerobic digester takes manure and passes out water which is clean enough for livestock to drink - by removing compounds such as ammonia.

Nutrients are also pulled from the manure during the process which can be turned into fertiliser.

Professor Steve Safferman, from the Michigan State University team, said: "If you have 1,000 cows on your operation, they produce about 10 million gallons of manure a year.

"About 90% of the manure is water but it contains large amounts of nutrients, carbon and pathogens that can have an environmental impact if not properly managed."

The system produces 50 gallons (227L) of water for every 100 gallons (455L) of manure digested.

The research team hopes to soon increase the water output to 65 gallons (295L).

Given there are more than 87 million cows in the US, the system could theoretically produce 870 million gallons of clean water every year.

Prof Safferman added: "Here in Michigan we have a tendency to take water for granted.

"But out west, for example, where drought remains an issue, the accessibility of clean water could make the difference between a farm remaining viable or going out of business."