Wastewater - Turning Problem to Solution

Untreated wastewater

Treatment

Treated (waste)water

Water reuse

Wastewater treatment Conserve water Reduce input of contaminates Increase collection

Contaminants

Bene ts

Physical

Biological

Chemical

Improved food security Food production

Remove

Recover

Industry

Risks to

Drinking water

Water security Cost reduction

Water security

Toxic chemicals Biological contaminants Physical contaminants Bacteria and viruses

Nutrients Energy

Food security

Human health

Environmental health

Improved human health Improved access to safe drinking water

Organic matter Clean water

Increased diseases Unsafe drinking water

Ecosystem

Contaminated water sources Contamination of food Degradation of soil

Antimicrobials

Bioaccumulation of pollutants

Supporting healthy ecosystems Enhance biodiversity Recharge with clean water

Bene ts

Habitat degradation Eutrophication Pollution from hazardous substances Thermal pollution

Reduced dependence on synthetic fertilizer Diversi cation of energy production New business opportunities

Bioaccumulation of pollutants

Figure 0.2: Environmental implications of wastewater and intervention points

building blocks to create an enabling environment, giving a clear, shared vision and a framework to help realize that vision: 1. Ensuring effective and coherent governance and legislation to create an enabling political and regulatory environment 2. Mobilizing adequate and sustained investment and access to financing to optimize the wastewater value chain; to create markets for resource recovery; and to facilitate business opportunities and investment by the private sector 3. Enhancing human, technical and institutional capacity at all levels (from local to global) to empower others to act on a shared vision 4. Enabling technical and social innovation to establish new approaches and equitable solutions that are appropriate to different socioeconomic-environmental situations 5. Delivering robust data collection and information management to support implementation, learning and ensure accountability

6. Increasing communication, awareness and transparency to build trust to support behaviour change and social acceptance Realizing the economic value of wastewater is essential for transitioning to sustainable wastewater management. It is not an easy task, and there is no one-size-fits-all solution. However, there is existing experience to build on, and the challenge is not an excuse for inaction. There is too much to lose. Everyone, as individuals and collectively, are part of both the problem and the solution. Coherent and sustained action is needed by all sectors of society, which means us as individuals, businesses, industry, farmers and governments – locally, nationally and regionally. The elements to make this transition successful lie in creating a shared vision for the future, and collectively realizing the urgency to get there. They also lie in creating an enabling and empowering environment to support the necessary system-level change at scale.

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