UN Stresses Sewage Resource Recovery In New Report
By Sara Jerome,
@sarmje
Sewage is more than just waste, and the United Nations wants you to know that.
The UN is raising the volume on its calls for water policy stakeholders to support the recovery of resources from sewage, noting that this wastewater industry practice is important for protecting waterways and minimizing the threat of toxic algae.
“The United Nations is to issue a call for the world to stop simply throwing sewage away, arguing that it is economically valuable and warning that freshwater is a finite resource,” The Independent reported.
The UN is releasing a report that will amplify its message in time for World Water Day on March 22. Stefan Uhlenbrook, director of the UN World Water Assessment Program, articulated the organization’s views on sewage for The Independent.
“Every year wastewater has been increasing and it is very, very likely to increase in the future. Often wastewater is seen as a burden, something to be disposed of, a nuisance to be ignored. We too little see it as a resource. That needs to change. Poo and pee can work for us,” he said.
Uhlenbrook highlighted how new technologies have made it possible for wastewater treatment plants to harness energy from sewage. He cited “energy-positive wastewater treatment plants” in the Netherlands. He also noted the firm business case for resource recovery in the wastewater industry.
“If you want to collect and treat wastewater at a plant, it will require some sort of capital investment. If you look at the other revenue streams that can be generated from wastewater, it can really help to support that investment,” he said, per the report.
The UN “Why Waste Water?” campaign is a vehicle for the organization’s sewage messaging, which highlights recycled water as an important part of making the most out of sewage. The campaign factsheet cites St. Petersburg, FL, as an example of an effective recycled water program.
“Since 1977, in St Petersburg, Florida, USA, a parallel network of pipes, separate from potable water mains, has served a mix of residential properties, and commercial and industrial parks, enabling them to use recycled water for irrigation, laundry, vehicle and building washing, and ornamental water features,” the fact sheet says.
Some U.S. cities have adopted a “zero waste” model to promote resource recovery efforts. Seattle Public Utilities, for instance, uses the following language in its definition of zero waste: “Zero Waste means designing and managing products and processes to systematically avoid and eliminate the volume and toxicity of waste and materials, conserve and recover all resources, and not burn or bury them.”