Taking the “waste” out of “wastewater” for human water security and ecosystem sustainability

Date Published

10th Aug 2012

Citation

Grant, S. B., Saphores, J., Feldman, D. L., Hamilton, A. J., Fletcher, T. D., Cook, P. L. M., Stewardson, M., Sanders, B. F., Levin, L. A., Ambrose, R. F., Deletic, A., Brown, R. R., Jiang, S. C., Rosso, D., Cooper, W. J. and Marusic, I. (2012). Taking the "waste" out of "wastewater" for human water security and ecosystem sustainability. Science, 337(6095), pp. 681-686. Copyright © 2012 American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Project

C1.3

Topic

Alternative water supplies

Participant

Monash University

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Abstract

Humans create vast quantities of wastewater through inefficiencies and poor management of water systems. The wasting of water poses sustainability challenges, depletes energy reserves, and undermines human water security and ecosystem health. Here we review emerging approaches for reusing wastewater and minimizing its generation. These complementary options make the most of scarce freshwater resources, serve the varying water needs of both developed and developing countries, and confer a variety of environmental benefits. Their widespread adoption will require changing how freshwater is sourced, used, managed, and priced.

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