Join us as Professor Kiran Tota-Maharaj, Professor of Water Resources Management and Infrastructure at the Royal Agricultural University gives us the benefit of his expertise in managing our water resources and sustainability.
“Engineering Circular Biosystems Infrastructure: Nature-based Solutions (NbS) for Resilient On-Farm Wastewater Reuse”
Biography: Professor Kiran Tota-Maharaj is a Professor and Chair of Water Resources Management and Infrastructure at the Royal Agricultural University (RAU). A leading authority on the Water-Energy-Food-Ecosystems (WEFE) Nexus and sustainable hydrosystems and a Chartered Engineer (CEng) and Fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers (FICE), Fellow of the Institute of Water and member of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) his work focuses on the structural and functional design of circular biosystems infrastructure, specifically the engineering of Nature-Based Solutions (NbS) for resilient water reuse. His research has pioneered advancements in Constructed Wetlands, the attenuation capabilities of Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS), and the integration of decentralised wastewater treatment with solar-powered irrigation. With an extensive portfolio spanning both academia and industry, Prof. Tota-Maharaj bridges the gap between water, energy and environmental engineering—encompassing stormwater and wastewater management—and practical on-farm applications. His expertise emphasises resource recovery, the mitigation of emerging pollutants, and climate-adaptive water resources management. His international footprint across the UK and the Caribbean provides him with a unique perspective on strategic technical leadership for decentralised infrastructure projects. By integrating renewable energy with advanced biofiltration media, he continues to drive the transition towards a circular bioeconomy, ensuring that agricultural infrastructure is both environmentally restorative and compliant with rigorous 21st-century regulatory frameworks.
