Wastewater - Turning Problem to Solution

©iStock/Suprabhat Dutta

More than 10 years have passed since the release of the Sick Water? report. Despite some progress against the key messages and recommendations made in 2010 (see figures 1.1 and 1.2), untreated wastewater remains a significant global challenge, with an estimated 48 per cent still being released untreated into the environment (Jones et al. 2021), and pollution, including from wastewater, being identified as a key driver of biodiversity loss (Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services [IPBES] 2019). Climate change impacts, population growth and urbanization continue to put a strain on water resources globally, with a third of the global population already living in water scarce regions (Ruiz 2020). The global demand for water, food and energy is expected to intensify, resulting in scarcity, energy shortfalls and declining reserves of non-renewable nutrients such as, phosphorus, zinc and copper. There is therefore a growing urgency to develop solutions to ensure circularity of our water use to meet these future needs. This will require a greater commitment and investment by governments. Safe and appropriate wastewater management for resource recovery and reuse goes beyond achieving water security to include potential co-benefits. This includes improved environmental and human health and well-being; reduced dependence on synthetic fertilizers;

diversification of energy production and economic opportunity, increasing opportunities, especially for women. As an important component of a circular economy, resource recovery from wastewater can generate new business opportunities, while helping to improve water supply and sanitation services. This new report builds on the previous Sick Water? report, starting with the premise that wastewater is an important and valuable resource that can also help avoid costs of pollution and biodiversity loss. It aims to inspire policy and decision makers to be proactive in leading transformational change in sustainable wastewater management by closing the loop in the water cycle and realizing the opportunities to reuse the resources that can be recovered from wastewater. Despite the potential for resource recovery, wastewater is at times difficult to collect, in many instances expensive to treat, and there are some significant challenges to the recovery of products that are for safe reuse. While implementing wastewater resource recovery and reuse will not be easy, this is not an excuse for inaction. The report examines the barriers to wastewater resource recovery and reuse. It describes areas of action vital for creating the necessary systemic change. Finally, the report draws on the latest research and case studies from different geographic regions and sociocultural contexts to showcase opportunities in key areas.

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