Wastewater - Turning Problem to Solution

The building blocks for systems change

If the three action areas presented above are to succeed, they will need a breakthrough in addressing some persistent barriers and concerns (see part 2). Some of the building blocks that can help start to address these issues are presented with examples of possible actions and opportunities to develop these building blocks at different scales. As with the three action areas – success requires efforts to address all the building blocks – a piecemeal, fragmented approach cannot succeed. It is also vital that these building blocks are developed in an equitable manner to ensure the benefits and opportunities resulting from success are available to all. Gender-responsive measures should be considered in sustainable water management. Gender equality can be embedded into policy at all levels, decision-making and establishing an enabling environment on water and wastewater to ensure the participation of women. The six building blocks (Figure 3.10): • Governance and legislation – Create an enabling political and regulatory environment • Financing – Realize adequate and sustained investment and access to financing for implementation • Capacity development – Ensure there is sufficient human, technical and institutional capacity • Innovation – Technical and social innovation in processes, ways of working, conceptualization • Data – Strengthen data and information to support implementation and accountability

©iStock/Joesboy

• Awareness and behaviour change – Create increased social acceptance based on increased greater awareness, accountability and trust While the recovery and reuse of wastewater products may not be an appropriate solution in all circumstances, the sharp increases in water scarcity, costs of fertilizer use and the need to diversify our energy production worldwide are likely going to push communities to consider unconventional sources of water in an open minded manner. If the concerns and barriers, real or perceived, can be addressed, wastewater resource recovery and reuse practices can provide a wide range of benefits for communities, which translates into creating value for the public and the environment.

Financing Governance and legislation 6 building blocks to accelerate wastewater resource recovery and reuse

Capacity development

Mobilizing adequate and sustained investment and access to nancing to optimize the wastewater value chain; to create markets for resource recovery; and to facilitate business opportunities and investment by the private sector

Ensuring e ective and coherent governance and legislation to create an enabling political and regulatory environment

Enhancing human, technical and institutional capacity at all levels (from local to global) to empower others to act on a shared vision

Innovation

Data

Awareness and behaviour change

Enabling technical and social innovation to establish new approaches and equitable solutions that are appropriate to di erent socioeconomic-environmental situations

Delivering robust data collection and information management to support implementation, learning and ensure accountability

Increasing communication, awareness and transparency to build trust to support behaviour change and social acceptance

Figure 3.10: Six building blocks to accelerate wastewater resource recovery and reuse.

81