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Global and regional potential of wastewater as a water, nutrient and energy source

Author

Listed:
  • Manzoor Qadir
  • Pay Drechsel
  • Blanca Jiménez Cisneros
  • Younggy Kim
  • Amit Pramanik
  • Praem Mehta
  • Oluwabusola Olaniyan

Abstract

There is a proactive interest in recovering water, nutrients and energy from waste streams with the increase in municipal wastewater volumes and innovations in resource recovery. Based on the synthesis of wastewater data, this study provides insights into the global and regional “potential” of wastewater as water, nutrient and energy sources while acknowledging the limitations of current resource recovery opportunities and promoting efforts to fast‐track high‐efficiency returns. The study estimates suggest that, currently, 380 billion m3 (m3 = 1,000 L) of wastewater are produced annually across the world which is a volume five‐fold the volume of water passing through Niagara Falls annually. Wastewater production globally is expected to increase by 24% by 2030 and 51% by 2050 over the current level. Among major nutrients, 16.6 Tg (Tg = million metric ton) of nitrogen are embedded in wastewater produced worldwide annually; phosphorus stands at 3.0 Tg and potassium at 6.3 Tg. The full nutrient recovery from wastewater would offset 13.4% of the global demand for these nutrients in agriculture. Beyond nutrient recovery and economic gains, there are critical environmental benefits, such as minimizing eutrophication. At the energy front, the energy embedded in wastewater would be enough to provide electricity to 158 million households. These estimates and projections are based on the maximum theoretical amounts of water, nutrients and energy that exist in the reported municipal wastewater produced worldwide annually. Supporting resource recovery from wastewater will need a step‐wise approach to address a range of constraints to deliver a high rate of return in direct support of Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 6, 7 and 12, but also other Goals, including adaptation to climate change and efforts in advancing “net‐zero” energy processes towards a green economy.

Suggested Citation

  • Manzoor Qadir & Pay Drechsel & Blanca Jiménez Cisneros & Younggy Kim & Amit Pramanik & Praem Mehta & Oluwabusola Olaniyan, 2020. "Global and regional potential of wastewater as a water, nutrient and energy source," Natural Resources Forum, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 44(1), pages 40-51, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:natres:v:44:y:2020:i:1:p:40-51
    DOI: 10.1111/1477-8947.12187
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    6. Vicent Hernández-Chover & Águeda Bellver-Domingo & Lledó Castellet-Viciano & Francesc Hernández-Sancho, 2024. "AI Applied to the Circular Economy: An Approach in the Wastewater Sector," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(4), pages 1-18, February.
    7. Tawfik, Mohamed Hassan & Al-Zawaidah, Hadeel & Hoogesteger, J. & Al-Zu'bi, Maha & Hellegers, Petra & Mateo-Sagasta, Javier & Elmahdi, A., 2023. "Shifting waters: the challenges of transitioning from freshwater to treated wastewater irrigation in the northern Jordan Valley," Papers published in Journals (Open Access), International Water Management Institute, pages 15(7):1315..
    8. Rezapour, Salar & Alamdari, Parisa & Kalavrouziotis, Ioannis K., 2023. "Response of soil health index to untreated wastewater irrigation in selected farms under different vegetable types," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 290(C).
    9. Alan Alvarez-Holguin & Gabriel Sosa-Perez & Omar Castor Ponce-Garcia & Carlos Rene Lara-Macias & Federico Villarreal-Guerrero & Carlos Gustavo Monzon-Burgos & Jesus Manuel Ochoa-Rivero, 2022. "The Impact of Treated Wastewater Irrigation on the Metabolism of Barley Grown in Arid and Semi-Arid Regions," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(4), pages 1-16, February.
    10. Juntao Xia & Zhiguo Yuan & Feng Jiang, 2024. "Global metagenomic survey identifies sewage-derived hgcAB+ microorganisms as key contributors to riverine methylmercury production," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-13, December.
    11. Vasileios A. Tzanakakis & Andrea G. Capodaglio & Andreas N. Angelakis, 2023. "Insights into Global Water Reuse Opportunities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(17), pages 1-30, August.
    12. Hassan S. Alqahtani, 2024. "Lower-Carbon Hydrogen Production from Wastewater: A Comprehensive Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(19), pages 1-22, October.
    13. Chloé Grison & Stef Koop & Steven Eisenreich & Jan Hofman & I-Shin Chang & Jing Wu & Dragan Savic & Kees Leeuwen, 2023. "Integrated Water Resources Management in Cities in the World: Global Challenges," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 37(6), pages 2787-2803, May.
    14. Konstantina Fotia & George Nanos & Pantelis Barouchas & Markos Giannelos & Aikaterini Linardi & Aikaterini Vallianatou & Paraskevi Mpeza & Ioannis Tsirogiannis, 2022. "Growth Development, Physiological Status and Water Footprint Assessment of Nursery Young Olive Trees ( Olea europaea L. ‘Konservolea’) Irrigated with Urban Treated Wastewater," Resources, MDPI, vol. 11(5), pages 1-14, April.
    15. Drechsel, Pay & Qadir, M. & Galibourg, D., 2022. "The WHO guidelines for safe wastewater use in agriculture: a review of implementation challenges and possible solutions in the global south," Papers published in Journals (Open Access), International Water Management Institute, pages 1-14(6):864.
    16. Ascioti, Fortunato A. & Mangano, Maria Cristina & Marcianò, Claudio & Sarà, Gianluca, 2022. "The sanitation service of seagrasses – Dependencies and implications for the estimation of avoided costs," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 54(C).
    17. Sylwia Myszograj & Dariusz Bocheński & Mirosław Mąkowski & Ewelina Płuciennik-Koropczuk, 2021. "Biogas, Solar and Geothermal Energy—The Way to a Net-Zero Energy Wastewater Treatment Plant—A Case Study," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(21), pages 1-15, October.
    18. Wirginia Tomczak & Marek Gryta, 2022. "Energy-Efficient AnMBRs Technology for Treatment of Wastewaters: A Review," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(14), pages 1-40, July.

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