South Africa dealing with worsening water scarcity. The Anglo American mining company built a water treatment plant that uses desalination technology to convert water from the mine into drinking water, and treat industrial water so it can be safely released into the environment. As an added benefit, in the treatment process, gypsum is separated from the water and used as a construction material. The plant provides a safe and secure water source to the city, meeting 12 % of Emalahleni’ s daily water needs. 8
WASTEWATER IN AGRICULTURE
Partly to help maximise yields to meet demand, usage of chemical fertilizers and pesticides has increased in recent years, both in industrial and small farming, making agriculture a potential source of environmental pollution.
Pollution of groundwater and surface water by agricultural use of untreated or inadequately treated wastewater is a major issue in many developing countries where such irrigation is practised.
Farmers are increasingly looking into non-conventional water resources, mainly wastewater, whether due to its high nutrient content or lack of conventional water resources. If applied safely, wastewater is a valuable source of both water and nutrients, contributing to water and food security and livelihood improvements.
Improved wastewater management can improve the health of workers, especially in agriculture, by reducing the risk of pathogen exposure. It can also create direct and indirect jobs in water-dependent sectors and beyond.
Example:
• Use of wastewater in farming. It is estimated that more than 40,000-60,000 km 2 of land is irrigated with wastewater or polluted water( Jimenez and Asano, 2008), posing health risks to farmers and to eventual consumers of the agricultural products. Available technologies allow removal of almost all contaminants from wastewater, making them suitable for every use. The WHO Guidelines on Safe Use of Wastewater in Agriculture and Aquaculture and the Sanitation Safety Planning( SSP) approach provides a comprehensive framework to ensure that health risks are managed to protect public health.
8 For more information:“ The eMalahleni Water Reclamation Plant in South Africa”: http:// www. iwa-network. org / filemanager-uploads / WQ _ Compendium / Cases / The % 20eMalahleni % 20Water. pdf
Africa Water, Sanitation & Hygiene • March- April 2017 17