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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