Wastewater - Turning Problem to Solution

Progress against the key messages from Sick Water?

Key messages in 2010

Progress since 2010

Yes

Some

None

The volume of wastewater being produced continues to increase.

s

s

e

l

e

c

u

Wastewater production is rising and the issue requires urgent attention.

d

o

Collection and treatment of wastewater has improved, but we are still not on track to reach global targets.

P r

Message still highly relevant, urgent attention still needed

There has been increased global attention and political ambition to address this issue.

Urgent, smart and sustained investment will generate multiple bene ts. This investment should be in: reducing the volume of water pollution; capturing water so it can be treated appropriately; where possible, reuse and recycle water; support innovation in new technologies. u t

s

s

e

l

Where states have had access to nancing, there has been some progress, but this is not equitable or at a su cient scale.

e

P o l l

Message still highly relevant, urgent attention still needed

$

There is a need to accelerate innovative blended nancing mechanisms, which integrate public and private investment, to address inequality.

n

e

t

m

There have been important developments in political ambition and connection across policy areas since the adoption of the SDGs, but implementation is still weak.

e

g

a

Improved sanitation and wastewater management are central to poverty reduction and improved human health.

n

v e m a

As of 2020, still almost half (48%) of domestic and urban wastewater generated was discharged without safe treatment . This is an improvement on the gure of 80% that was cited in the 2010 report, but remains a serious problem undermining human health and well-being through the spread of pathogens and parasites, and contributes to antimicrobial resistance, as well as impacting well-being, mental health, social and economic opportunity, and placing additional stress on health systems.

Message still highly relevant

o

r

p

I m

Successful and sustained wastewater management will need an entirely new dimension of investment to cope with rapid urbanization and absent or out of date waste management facilities.

e

s

v

t

n

m

i

e

e

z

n

M o b i l i

t

$

Financing and addressing legacy wastewater collection and treatment facilities still requires urgent attention globally, but in particular lower- and middle-income countries.

Message still highly relevant

Source: Jones et al . 2021; WHO 2022; GRID-Arendal/Studio Atlantis, 2023

Figure 1.1: Progress since 2010 against the key messages from Sick Water?

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