Wastewater: From Waste to Resource<\/em><\/a>, calls for smarter wastewater management, including reuse and resource recovery, and looks at wastewater projects around the world which have paid dividends for people, the environment, and economies in the short and long-term.<\/p>\nEfficiently investing in wastewater and other sanitation infrastructure is crucial to achieve public health benefits, improve the environment, and enhance quality of life. Safely managed water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services are an essential part of preventing disease and protecting human health during infectious disease outbreaks, including the current COVID-19 pandemic.<\/p>\n
\u201cAt a time when 36 percent of the world\u2019s population lives in water-scarce regions, wastewater treatment for reuse is part of the solution to water scarcity and pollution problems<\/em>,\u201d said\u00a0Jennifer Sara, Global Director, World Bank Water Global Practice.<\/p>\n\u201cOnce treated, it can be used to replace freshwater for irrigation, industrial processes, or recreational purposes. It can also be used to maintain the environmental flow and by-products from its treatment can generate energy and nutrients.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\nWastewater a resource not waste: <\/strong><\/h4>\nWastewater treatment offers a double value proposition, the report says. In addition to environmental and health benefits, wastewater treatment can bring economic benefits through reuse in different sectors. Its by-products, such as nutrients and biogas, can be used for agriculture and energy generation. And additional revenues generated from this process can help cover water utilities\u2019 operational and maintenance costs.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn this sense, wastewater should not be considered a \u2018waste\u2019 anymore, but a resource. This is at the core of a circular economy, an economic system aimed at minimizing waste and making the most of\u00a0resources.\u00a0As cities continue to grow, future urban development requires approaches that minimize resource consumption and focus on resource recovery, following principles of the so-called circular economy,\u201d\u00a0said\u00a0Diego Juan Rodriguez, the report\u2019s author and a Senior Water Resources Management Specialist at the World Bank.<\/p>\n
\u00a0\u201c<\/strong>One of the key advantages of adopting circular economy principles in wastewater management is that resource recovery and reuse could transform sanitation from a costly service to one that is self-sustaining and adds value to the economy. This will help countries bridge the funding gap in sanitation to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.\u201d<\/p>\nExamples of wastewater management in Latin America and Caribbean:<\/strong><\/h4>\nThe report casts a light on wastewater management experiences in the Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) region, which are already reaping benefits.<\/p>\n
The San Luis Potosi power plant in Mexico has decided to use treated wastewater in lieu of groundwater and this led to cutting costs by 33 percent, thus saving up to $18 million in six years for the power utility. For the water utility, the additional revenue from selling treated wastewater helped cover operations and maintenance costs.<\/p>\n
Moreover, a wastewater treatment plant in Cusco, Peru, saves $230,000 a year in transporting biosolids (nutrient-rich organic materials resulting from the treatment of domestic sewage in a wastewater treatment facility) and landfill fees due to an agreement with the local compost producer.<\/p>\n
The compost produced with the plant\u2019s biosolids is then used as part of the water management project to preserve the Piuray Lake.<\/p>\n
The Brazil-based CAESB water and wastewater utility\u2019s use of biosolids for corn production led to higher-than-average grain yields and was 21 percent more efficient than mineral fertilizers.<\/p>\n
\u00a0The operator of the La Farfana wastewater treatment plant in Santiago, Chile, after investing $2.7 million to retrofit the plant, was able to sell biogas, accounting for an annual net profit of $1 million for the business.<\/p>\n
Report recommendations:<\/strong><\/h4>\nThe report recommends incorporating wastewater interventions as part of river basin planning, and pairing them with policies, institutions and regulations that foster this paradigm shift.<\/p>\n
Wastewater treatment plants need to be gradually repurposed as water resource recovery facilities, while also exploring and supporting innovative financing and sustainable business models that leverage the potential revenue streams of resource recovery from wastewater.<\/p>\n
Only 30 to 40 percent of the LAC region\u2019s collected wastewater is treated, resulting in negative impacts on both human health and the environment.<\/p>\n
The report shows what\u2019s possible when governments at all levels apply circular economy principles to their wastewater challenges. For example, in the city of La Paz, Bolivia, the national and municipal governments, as well as the water utility, with support from the World Bank and other development partners, are working together to incorporate circular economy principles in the design of the La Paz wastewater treatment plant.<\/p>\n
The goal is to address water pollution and public health issues caused by low levels of wastewater treatment and unregulated use in agriculture.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are happy to see that the necessary transformation is well under way \u2013 wastewater policies in many countries already include reuse and resource recovery, and we hope more countries will follow suit. Countries need to scale up action,\u201d<\/em>\u00a0<\/strong>said Rodriguez.<\/p>\n\n