Wastewater - Turning problem to solution

Wastewater originates from kitchens, bathrooms and toilets, industrial effluent, agricultural effluent, stormwater, and urban run-off. Untreated and improperly disposed of, chemicals and excessive nutrients in wastewater degrade ecosystems, including soil, freshwater sources and oceans, contributing to food insecurity and other social issues.

However, with the right policies, wastewater can become a valuable asset, providing an alternative energy source for around half a billion people, supplying over 10 times the water provided by current global desalination capacity and offsetting over 10 per cent of global fertilizer use.  

Wastewater. Turning problem to solution, a new report by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and GRID-Arendal with the Global Wastewater Initiative (GWWI), urges governments and businesses to treat wastewater as a circular economy opportunity, and a way to protect marine and freshwater ecosystems through sustainable wastewater management.

• Read more and download the report here.