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Future of water sustainability

United Nations report unveils surprising energy potential, breathing second life into wastewater.

Despite some progress in water treatment and reuse over the past decade, untreated wastewater remains a significant global challenge. Around half of the world’s wastewater enters the environment without sufficient treatment.

With the right policies, wastewater could be a valuable resource to recover water, nutrients, energy and heavy metals with a wide range of applications including industrial and agricultural use according to a report published by the United Nations (UN) Environment Programme (UNEP) and GRID-Arendal with the Global Wastewater Initiative (GWWI).

Titled Wastewater – Turning Problem to Solution, the report urged governments and businesses to treat wastewater as a circular economy opportunity rather than a problem.

 “Globally, wastewater is full of potential, yet it is currently allowed instead to contaminate the ecosystems we rely on,” said Principal Coordinator of the Marine and Freshwater Branch of UNEP Leticia Carvalho.

 “We must not let the opportunity simply disappear down the drain: it’s time to realise the promise of wastewater as an alternative source of clean water, energy and important nutrients.”

The report underlined the urgent transformation of seeing wastewater as a valued resource instead of a waste management issue. The untapped potential for wastewater reuse is around 320 billion cubic metres per year, with the potential to supply over 10 times the current global desalination capacity.

The recovery and reuse of wastewater may not be an appropriate solution in all cases, but the communities are likely to consider unconventional sources of water with increasing water scarcity, costs of fertiliser use and the need to diversify energy production worldwide.

Besides water, energy and nutrients, a wide range of other materials can be recovered from wastewater, with new possibilities as research continues. The production of cellulose, bioplastics, extracellular polymeric substances and volatile fatty acids are some of the recovery options for which full-scale installations already exist.

Additional resources, according to the report, can be recovered from wastewater. This includes raw material for producing paper, polymers, pesticides, rubber, paint, biodiesel, food preservatives and flavours, fireproofing and waterproofing fabrics, medical products, jewellery, and packaging of food, hygiene, and other products.

Wastewater can also become a climate solution, producing about five times more energy than is required for its treatment in generating biogas, heat and electricity.

The report also stated this can provide electricity for half a billion people per year. By reducing water insecurity, management of wastewater can also support countries adapt to climate change.

 “We need to keep the pressure up to improve some critical underlying conditions if these actions are to succeed” said GRID-Arendal Director Peter Harris.

 “For that to happen, we need more effective governance, investment, supporting innovation, strengthening data, improving capacity to implement and – critically shifting our behaviour – all of us as individuals and institutions”.

Population growth is a major contributing factor of increasing wastewater volumes, with the global population estimated to increase by two billion by 2050.

The growth is projected to concentrate in urban areas of developing countries, among populations already lacking water supply and wastewater treatment systems.

To fulfil the potential of wastewater as a valuable resource, the report highlights three action areas: reduce the volume of wastewater being produced, prevent and reduce contamination, and sustainably manage wastewater for resource recovery and safe reuse.

In line with the three action areas, the report highlights that freshwater resources must be used more responsibly.

More attention must be paid to what is put into water when it is used, and where feasible, separating and eliminating compounds at source before they enter the wastewater flow.

Investments are also needed to expand the capacity for wastewater collection and treatment that includes the recovery of resources for reuse.

Expanding the reuse of wastewater will require six building blocks – governance and legislation; financing; capacity development; innovation; data; and awareness and behaviour change.

Despite several successful wastewater reuse applications in many countries, the report notes that some barriers remain and limit the widespread implementation of water reuse at scale.

This includes inadequate political support or priority; governance, institutional and regulatory barriers; lack of data; insufficient financing; low social and cultural acceptance; limited human and institutional capacity; and environment and health concerns.

The important role of wastewater was recognised in target 6.3 of the sustainable development goals which calls for improved water quality, including reducing the proportion of untreated wastewater, and increasing recycling and safe reuse. – Aqilah Rahman

PHOTO: ENVATO
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