Image courtesy K-State

Kansas State University researchers are leading a four-year, $6 million project to turn livestock waste into usable resources like clean water, energy, and fertilizer. The effort, led by civil engineering professor Prathap Parameswaran, aims to help High Plains communities address water shortages linked to the declining Ogallala Aquifer.

The project brings together experts from K-State, the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, Oklahoma State University, and Seward County Community College. Together, they’re developing a circular waste-recovery system that can recycle animal wastewater, capture nutrients, and reduce odors from livestock operations.

The first three years will focus on improving the technology, followed by a real-world field trial in the fourth year. Social scientists and economists on the team will study how to make the system practical and affordable for producers.

By reusing water and valuable materials, the project hopes to improve environmental sustainability and protect the region’s most critical water resource.