A Brisbane water waste plant has grown superbugs that feed on nutrients in sewage water in an Australian-first initiative.
Anammox bugs reduce the need for chemicals as they naturally remove ammonium and nitrogen from the wastewater.
It is the first time Anammox bugs have been farmed in Australia and it took Brisbane wastewater plant Urban Utilities five years to grow the amount needed for treatment.
Urban Utilities says the 10 year project will be more sustainable than traditional sewage treatment processes as the superbugs use 60 percent less energy.
"It will...benefit the environment because they're a cleaner, greener way to treat sewage," said spokeswoman Michelle Cull.