Plumbing Africa June 2018 | Page 21

ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY
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Innovation assists the process of wastewater treatment before being discharged back into the water system through rivers and into the sea .
KNOWLEDGE , RESEARCH , TECHNOLOGY , AND CAPACITY-BUILDING GAPS The use of existing technologies requires financing , technical capacity and infrastructure , which developing countries often lack . It also requires knowledge transfer , information sharing , and capacity building through education and training to support the sustainability of technology applications . These knowledge , technology , and capacity gaps should be assessed through a gap and capacity analysis that will facilitate the required technology transfer , education , and capacitybuilding efforts where needed .
The extremely low level of secondary and advanced wastewater treatment in developing countries indicates an urgent need for technological upgrades in wastewater treatment and safe use options to support the achievement of sustainable development goals ( SDG ). Appropriate and affordable technologies need to be transferred from developed to developing countries , supported by knowledge transfer and capacity building . In addition to North – South cooperation , South – South cooperation can further support developing countries in improving their scientific , technological , and innovative capacity .
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The transfer of new technologies , where their application is feasible and affordable , should be equally promoted . Emerging pollutants represent an evident knowledge and research gap . Research is needed to improve the understanding of the dynamics of these pollutants in water resources and the environment , and the methods to remove these pollutants from wastewater . Improved techniques for the assessment , monitoring , and removal of emerging pollutants are required , as is further research on the potential for multi-resistant pathogen development .
There are also huge gaps in the existing regulatory and monitoring frameworks , as well as in data availability regarding the occurrence level of emerging pollutants in wastewater and receiving water bodies . Another necessary element for research and capacity building is a new health risk assessment related to pathogens present in wastewater and the mitigation measures required in developing countries . The most common health risk assessments are based on models that were largely studied and verified in developed countries . Similar models and studies are required for developing countries as well .
While health risk mitigation measures generally target pathogen-related threats , health risks related to chemical pollutants also require attention , especially due to the ineffective industrial wastewater management in developing and emerging countries . It is also essential to understand how external factors like climate change will impact wastewater management . Research on the impacts of climate change on wastewater systems and treatment processes has only recently begun to appear and many questions remain to be studied . Furthermore , more research efforts and innovative data collection and sharing tools are needed to address the enormous data gaps with regard to wastewater .
INNOVATIONS IN WASTEWATER TECHNOLOGY AND RESEARCH Membrane filtration . Advances in membrane technology have not only reduced human and environmental health risks associated with treated wastewater , but also opened new opportunities for wastewater use , such as potable reuse . The use of membrane technologies ( reverse osmosis , microfiltration , ultrafiltration , etc .) is becoming increasingly common for tertiary or advanced treatment , especially in developed countries , as membranes continue to improve and
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