Wastewater Use
POSSIBLE INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES
Examples of sound investments in treated wastewater use include the following:
• Water swaps as a substitute for existing uses of( raw or potable) water for reclaimed water
• Rehabilitation of wastewater treatment plants
• Construction of new wastewater treatment plants using appropriate technologies
• Sewer systems that separate municipal from industrial wastewater
• Surface storage reservoirs for reclaimed water
• Pilot projects on separate reuse of urine and feces through decentralized systems( ecological sanitation) in small towns and periurban areas.
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR PRACTITIONERS
Recommendations for countries experienced in reuse are different from those for countries just embarking on reuse. Comprehensive recommendations include the following:
• Support for master plans that integrate reuse in the planning and design of sanitation projects and that build it into agricultural programs
• National reviews of reuse policies, including multistakeholder workshops
• Creation of interdepartmental working groups at the national and / or local levels
• Awareness building on health and environmental risks for farmers using untreated wastewater or reclaimed water
• Development of economic and environmental models to support decision making about reuse investments and policies, including policies on subsidies
• Promotion of regional exchange of experiences through professional networks
• Support for research on reuse technology and biophysical sustainability, on institutional arrangements for reuse as part of master planning, on factors that enhance or inhibit social acceptability, and on farmers’ and users’ innovations with water reuse.
For countries embarking on reuse, the following apply:
• Introduction of appropriate national reuse standards
• Introduction of appropriate crop restrictions.
And for countries that have made progress in reuse, the following apply:
• Formal arrangements between farmers and utilities specifying mutual rights and responsibilities
• Design of tariffs for reclaimed water.
REFERENCES CITED
Croke G., B. Kracman, and C. Wright. 1999.“ The Virginia Pipeline Scheme, Adelaide South Australia— Commercial Solutions to Environmental Problems.” Paper presented at the 17th Congress on Irrigation and Drainage. Granada, Spain, September 11 – 19. Special Session R7.
UNDP( United Nations Development Programme). 1998. Global Human Development Report 1998. New York: Oxford University Press.
WHO( World Health Organization). 1989. Health Guidelines for the Use of Wastewater in Agriculture and Aquaculture. Report of a Scientific Group. Technical Report Series 778. Geneva: World Health Organization.
WHO and UN Children’ s Fund( UNICEF). 2000. Global Water Supply and Sanitation Assessment 2000 Report. New York: WHO / UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply and Sanitation.
World Bank and Swiss Development Cooperation. 2001.“ Water for Sustainable Growth.” Regional Workshop on Water Reuse, July 2 – 5, Cairo. Sponsored by the World Bank, Middle East and North Africa Region, in cooperation with National Water Research Center, Ministry of Water and Irrigation, Egypt.
World Bank. 2005. Shaping the Future of Water for Agriculture: A Sourcebook for Investment in Agricultural Water Management. Washington, DC: World Bank.
This Note was prepared by Chris Scott of International Water Management Institute( IWMI). It was revised by Salah Darghouth, Water Adviser for the Agriculture and Rural Development Department( ARD) of the World Bank, and Ariel Dinar, Lead Economist in ARD at the World Bank— both part of the Water For Food Team. The note is based on Investment Note 5.3 in the larger volume Shaping the Future of Water for Agriculture: A Sourcebook for Investment in Agricultural Water Management. The book documents a range of solutions and good practices from World Bank and worldwide experience, concentrating on investments in policy and institutional reforms in technology and management to improve water productivity and farming profitability. You can download a copy of the full report at www. worldbank. org / rural or email ard @ worldbank. org.
THE WORLD BANK 1818 H Street. NW Washington, DC 20433 www. worldbank. org / rural
Africa Water, Sanitation & Hygiene • November- December 2017 25