Wastewater - Turning Problem to Solution

Table 1.1 (continued)

Potential contribution to be gained from improved wastewater treatment, resource recovery and reuse

Societal concerns

Gender equity

The exposure of vulnerable groups, especially women, farmers and children, to partially treated or untreated wastewater requires specific attention. Women play an important informal role in the management and use of wastewater (International Labour Organization 2017), in addition to which Ungureanu, Vlăduț and Voicu (2020) identify women and children as being at particular risk of disease from eating food produced with wastewater. The development of policies and interventions needed to realize benefits from wastewater resource recovery and reuse will require a gendered perspective to ensure solutions are both safe and appropriate (Taron, Drechsel and Gebrezgabher 2021; see also case study 16 – Georgia). The WWAP Water and Gender Working Group’s Call to Action for accelerating gender equity across the water domain was adopted in 2021 and included a road map to ensure successful delivery of the 2030 Agenda. According to WHO, over 1.7 billion people still lack sanitation services, and as of 2020, almost half of household wastewater generated was discharged without safe treatment (Jones et al. 2021; WHO 2022). Increased collection and treatment of wastewater will reduce exposure of people to wastewater and reduce contamination of water supplies. Increased recovery of used water increases access to water for sanitation and consequently lowers health costs and reduces premature deaths. Climate change is expected to increase water insecurity in many already vulnerable communities. Harnessing wastewater is one adaptation strategy that can help address the problem (see box 3).

Sanitation and health

Climate change mitigation and adaptation

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