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World Water Assessment Programme

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The UNESCO World Water Assessment Programme ( UNESCO WWAP ) was founded in 2000 in response to a call from the UN Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD) to produce a UN system-wide periodic global overview of the status (quantity and quality), use and management of freshwater resources. To meet this challenge, WWAP coordinates the work of 31 UN-Water members and international partners, under the umbrella mechanism of UN-Water, in the production of the World Water Development Report (WWDR). The WWDR is the UN flagship report on water issues; it is a comprehensive review, released every year with a different focus on different strategic water issues, that gives an overall picture of the state, use and management of the world’s freshwater resources and aims to provide decision-makers with tools to formulate and implement sustainable water policies.

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54-473: The growing global water crisis threatens the security, stability and environmental sustainability of developing but also developed nations . Millions die each year from water-borne diseases , while water pollution and ecosystem destruction aggravate, particularly in the developing world. Over the past few decades there has been an increasing acceptance that the management of water resources must be undertaken with an integrated approach, that assessment of

108-520: A dual piping system to keep the recycled water separate from the potable water. Usage types are distinguished as follows: Irrigation with recycled municipal wastewater can also serve to fertilize plants if it contains nutrients, such as nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. There are benefits of using recycled water for irrigation, including the lower cost compared to some other sources and consistency of supply regardless of season, climatic conditions and associated water restrictions. When reclaimed water

162-602: A few days before harvesting to allow pathogens to die off in the sunlight; applying water carefully so it does not contaminate leaves likely to be eaten raw; cleaning vegetables with disinfectant; or allowing fecal sludge used in farming to dry before being used as a human manure. Drawbacks or risks often mentioned include the content of potentially harmful substances such as bacteria, heavy metals, or organic pollutants (including pharmaceuticals, personal care products and pesticides). Irrigation with wastewater can have both positive and negative effects on soil and plants, depending on

216-445: A ground-breaking project on gender-sensitive water assessment, monitoring and reporting, with a goal to demonstrate how water is a gendered issue. Although women play a key role in the provision, management and safeguarding on water, gender inequality persist on the globe. The Advisor Group on Gender Equality founded in 2010, developed a series of indicators for the collection of sex-disaggregated water data, which are contained/included in

270-622: A long time. Large towns on the River Thames upstream of London ( Oxford , Reading , Swindon , Bracknell ) discharge their treated sewage ("non-potable water") into the Thames, which supplies water to London downstream. In the United States, the Mississippi River serves as both the destination of sewage treatment plant effluent and the source of potable water. Non-potable reclaimed water

324-541: A mixture of chemical and biological pollutants. In low-income countries, there are often high levels of pathogens from excreta. In emerging nations , where industrial development is outpacing environmental regulation, there are increasing risks from inorganic and organic chemicals. The World Health Organization developed guidelines for safe use of wastewater in 2006, advocating a ‘multiple-barrier' approach wastewater use, for example by encouraging farmers to adopt various risk-reducing behaviors. These include ceasing irrigation

378-493: A municipal water supply system. Wastewater reclamation can be especially important in relation to human spaceflight . In 1998, NASA announced it had built a human waste reclamation bioreactor designed for use in the International Space Station and a crewed Mars mission. Human urine and feces are input into one end of the reactor and pure oxygen , pure water , and compost ( humanure ) are output from

432-537: A reliable, drought-proof source of drinking water. By using advanced purification processes, they produce water that meets all applicable drinking water standards. System reliability and frequent monitoring and testing are imperative to their meeting stringent controls. The water needs of a community, water sources, public health regulations, costs, and the types of water infrastructure in place— such as distribution systems, man-made reservoirs, or natural groundwater basins— determine if and how reclaimed water can be part of

486-408: A water treatment plant or distribution system. Modern technologies such as reverse osmosis and ultraviolet disinfection are commonly used when reclaimed water will be mixed with the drinking water supply. Many people associate a feeling of disgust with reclaimed water and 13% of a survey group said they would not even sip it. Nonetheless, the main health risk for potable use of reclaimed water

540-447: A water-saving measure. When used water is eventually discharged back into natural water sources, it can still have benefits to ecosystems , improving streamflow, nourishing plant life and recharging aquifers , as part of the natural water cycle . Global treated wastewater reuse is estimated at 40.7 billion m per year, representing approximately 11% of the total domestic and manufacturing wastewater produced. Municipal wastewater reuse

594-468: Is a long-established practice. This is especially so in arid countries. Reusing wastewater as part of sustainable water management allows water to remain an alternative water source for human activities. This can reduce scarcity . It also eases pressures on groundwater and other natural water bodies. There are several technologies used to treat wastewater for reuse. A combination of these technologies can meet strict treatment standards and make sure that

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648-413: Is also known as groundwater recharge . Reused water also serve various needs in residences such as toilet flushing , businesses, and industry. It is possible to treat wastewater to reach drinking water standards. Injecting reclaimed water into the water supply distribution system is known as direct potable reuse. Drinking reclaimed water is not typical. Reusing treated municipal wastewater for irrigation

702-439: Is also the implementation of advanced wastewater treatment for the removal of organic micropollutants, which leads to an overall improved water quality. Water recycling and reuse is of increasing importance, not only in arid regions but also in cities and contaminated environments. Already, the groundwater aquifers that are used by over half of the world population are being over-drafted. Reuse will continue to increase as

756-666: Is benefited from SDG 6-related actions, as well as trade-offs and the potential implication of policies adopted by countries will be highlighted. This will enable countries to develop a roadmap towards a more sustainable development, for which water is critical in many regards. The World Water Assessment Programme coordinates a Task Force to produce the SDG 6 Synthesis Report 2018, composed by some UN-Water members, such as CEO Water Mandate, FAO, ILO, UN-Habitat, UN-Water Technical Advisory Unit (TAU), UNDP, UNECE, UNEP, UNESCO, UNICEF, UNU, WHO, WMO and World Bank. Capacity Development WWAP strengthens

810-445: Is generally treated to only secondary level treatment when used for irrigation. A pump station distributes reclaimed water to users around a city. These may include golf courses, agricultural uses, cooling towers, or landfills. Rather than treating municipal wastewater for reuse purposes, other options can achieve similar effects of freshwater savings: The cost of reclaimed water exceeds that of potable water in many regions of

864-551: Is increasingly using untreated municipal wastewater for irrigation – often in an unsafe manner. Cities provide lucrative markets for fresh produce, so they are attractive to farmers. However, because agriculture has to compete for increasingly scarce water resources with industry and municipal users, there is often no alternative for farmers but to use water polluted with urban waste directly to water their crops. There can be significant health hazards related to using untreated wastewater in agriculture. Municipal wastewater can contain

918-674: Is often distributed with a dual piping network that keeps reclaimed water pipes completely separate from potable water pipes. There are several technologies used to treat wastewater for reuse. A combination of these technologies can meet strict treatment standards and make sure that the processed water is hygienically safe, meaning free from pathogens . Some common technologies include ozonation , ultrafiltration , aerobic treatment ( membrane bioreactor ), forward osmosis , reverse osmosis , advanced oxidation or activated carbon . Reclaimed water providers use multi-barrier treatment processes and constant monitoring to ensure that reclaimed water

972-696: Is particularly high in the Middle East and North Africa region , in countries such as the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait and Israel. For the Sustainable Development Goal 6 by the United Nations, Target 6.3 states "Halving the proportion of untreated wastewater and substantially increasing recycling and safe reuse globally by 2030". Treated wastewater can be reused in industry (for example in cooling towers ), in artificial recharge of aquifers, in agriculture, and in

1026-598: Is particularly high in the Middle East and North Africa region , in countries such as the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait and Israel. The term "water reuse" is generally used interchangeably with terms such as wastewater reuse, water reclamation, and water recycling. A definition by the USEPA states: "Water reuse is the method of recycling treated wastewater for beneficial purposes, such as agricultural and landscape irrigation, industrial processes, toilet flushing, and groundwater replenishing (EPA, 2004)." A similar description is: "Water Reuse,

1080-513: Is publicly acknowledged as an intentional project to recycle water for drinking water. There are two ways in which potable water can be delivered for reuse – "Indirect Potable Reuse" (IPR) and "Direct Potable Reuse". Both these forms of reuse are described below, and commonly involve a more formal public process and public consultation program than is the case with de facto or unacknowledged reuse. Some water agencies reuse highly treated effluent from municipal wastewater or resource recovery plants as

1134-641: Is safe and treated properly for the intended end use. Some water-demanding activities do not require high grade water. In this case, wastewater can be reused with little or no treatment. One example of this scenario is in the domestic environment where toilets can be flushed using greywater from baths and showers with little or no treatment. In the case of municipal wastewater , the wastewater must pass through numerous sewage treatment process steps before it can be used. Steps might include screening, primary settling, biological treatment, tertiary treatment (for example reverse osmosis), and disinfection. Wastewater

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1188-560: Is the UN-Water flagship report on water. It is a comprehensive review that gives an overall picture of the state, use and management of the world’s freshwater resources and aims to provide decision-makers with tools to formulate and implement sustainable water policies. From 2003 till 2012, the WWDR was produced and released every three years following a comprehensive approach. As a result of a Global Stakeholder Survey in 2012, UN-Water decided to change

1242-410: Is the potential for pharmaceutical and other household chemicals or their derivatives ( environmental persistent pharmaceutical pollutants ) to persist in this water. This would be less of a concern if human excreta was kept out of sewage by using dry toilets or, alternatively, systems that treat blackwater separately from greywater . Indirect potable reuse (IPR) means the water is delivered to

1296-587: Is the process of converting municipal wastewater or sewage and industrial wastewater into water that can be reused for a variety of purposes . It is also called wastewater reuse , water reuse or water recycling . There are many types of reuse. It is possible to reuse water in this way in cities or for irrigation in agriculture. Other types of reuse are environmental reuse, industrial reuse, and reuse for drinking water, whether planned or not. Reuse may include irrigation of gardens and agricultural fields or replenishing surface water and groundwater . This latter

1350-457: Is to help countries improve their self-assessment capability by building on existing strengths and experiences. WWAP fulfils this mission by assisting in the preparation of case studies in countries around the world in order to highlight the state of water resources where different physical, climatic and socio-economic conditions prevail. In this regard, case studies show the diversity of circumstances and different human needs. The second purpose of

1404-780: Is used for irrigation in agriculture, the nutrient (nitrogen and phosphorus) content of the treated wastewater has the benefit of acting as a fertilizer . This can make the reuse of excreta contained in sewage attractive. The irrigation water can be used in different ways on different crops, such as for food crops to be eaten raw or for crops which are intended for human consumption to be eaten raw or unprocessed. For processed food crops: crops which are intended for human consumption not to be eaten raw but after food processing (i.e. cooked, industrially processed). It can also be used on crops which are not intended for human consumption (e.g. pastures, forage, fiber, ornamental, seed, forest and turf crops). In developing countries , agriculture

1458-482: Is water that is used more than one time before it passes back into the natural water cycle. Advances in municipal wastewater treatment technology allow communities to reuse water for many different purposes. The water is treated differently depending upon the source and use of the water as well as how it gets delivered. The World Health Organization has recognized the following principal driving forces for municipal wastewater reuse: In some areas, one driving force

1512-419: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The Reports also offer best practices as well as in-depth theoretical analyses to help stimulate ideas and actions for better stewardship in the water sector. This authoritative publication is the result of a highly concerted process among partners and members comprising UN-Water under the coordination of WWAP. WWAP Case Studies One of the key objectives of WWAP

1566-644: The Member States in the realization of the 2030 Agenda, with a particular focus on the implementation of the targets of SDG 6 “ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all”, and the interlinkages with other SDGs. Water and Gender : • Trainings at country level on sex-disaggregated water data collection and gender analysis. • Trainings on integrating gender equality, woman empowerment & social inclusion in IWRM initiatives & water policies. Water and Gender In 2014 WWAP has started

1620-684: The Report was triennial and comprehensive, but in 2012, UN-Water changed it to have an annual and theme oriented Report. This UNESCO programme aims to equip water managers and policy- and decision-makers with knowledge, tools and skills necessary to formulate and implement sustainable water policies. The Programme's objectives are to: • Monitor, assess and report on the world's freshwater resources and ecosystems, water use and management, and identify critical issues and problems; • Help countries develop their own assessment capacity; • Raise awareness on current and imminent/future water related challenges to influence

1674-684: The Sixth Session of the Commission on Sustainable Development stated that there was a need for regular, global assessments on the status of freshwater resources. In response to this the World Water Assessment Programme was founded in 2000 to coordinate the production of the UN World Water Development Report (UN WWDR), and to report on the status of global freshwater resources. Initially the periodicity and coverage of

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1728-510: The augmentation of drinking water supplies with municipal wastewater treated to a level suitable for IPR followed by an environmental buffer (e.g. rivers, dams, aquifers, etc.) that precedes drinking water treatment. In this case, municipal wastewater passes through a series of treatment steps that encompasses membrane filtration and separation processes (e.g. MF, UF and RO), followed by an advanced chemical oxidation process (e.g. UV, UV+H 2 O 2 , ozone). In ‘indirect' potable reuse applications,

1782-399: The case studies is to highlight the challenges that need to be addressed in the water resources sector. In the process, the skills and experience of both local water professionals and policy-makers are engaged and enhanced. WWAP is both global and local in scale, for it must check the accuracy of the big picture on the basis of snapshots of water in the field. In the global strategy to improve

1836-506: The challenge of growing urban environments. • Wastewater The Untapped Resource : The training equips participants with the understanding of innovative approaches through concrete examples of successful applications of water use efficiency, water reuse , and bridging the policy-science interface. Achieving the 2030 Agenda : Inspired by the UN-Water SDG 6 Synthesis Report 2018 on Water and Sanitation, this training program aims at supporting

1890-480: The composition of the wastewater and on the soil or plant characteristics. The use of reclaimed water to create, enhance, sustain, or augment water bodies including wetlands , aquatic habitats, or stream flow is called "environmental reuse". For example, constructed wetlands fed by wastewater provide both wastewater treatment and habitats for flora and fauna. Treated wastewater can be reused in industry (for example in cooling towers ). Planned potable reuse

1944-753: The consumer indirectly. After it is purified, the reused water blends with other supplies and/or sits a while in some sort of storage, man-made or natural, before it gets delivered to a pipeline that leads to a water treatment plant or distribution system. That storage could be a groundwater basin or a surface water reservoir. Some municipalities are using and others are investigating IPR of reclaimed water. For example, reclaimed water may be pumped into (subsurface recharge) or percolated down to (surface recharge) groundwater aquifers, pumped out, treated again, and finally used as drinking water. This technique may also be referred to as groundwater recharging . This includes slow processes of further multiple purification steps via

1998-432: The drinking water supply. Some communities reuse water to replenish groundwater basins. Others put it into surface water reservoirs. In these instances the reclaimed water is blended with other water supplies and/or sits in storage for a certain amount of time before it is drawn out and gets treated again at a water treatment or distribution system. In some communities, the reused water is put directly into pipelines that go to

2052-472: The global water agenda; • Learn and respond to the needs of decision-makers and water resource managers; • Promote gender equality; • Measure progress towards achieving sustainable use of water resources through robust indicators; and • Support anticipatory decision-making on the global water system including the identification of alternative futures. The United Nations World Water Development Report The United Nations World Water Development Report (UN WWDR)

2106-444: The layers of earth/sand (absorption) and microflora in the soil (biodegradation). IPR or even unplanned potable use of reclaimed wastewater is used in many countries, where the latter is discharged into groundwater to hold back saline intrusion in coastal aquifers. IPR has generally included some type of environmental buffer, but conditions in certain areas have created an urgent need for more direct alternatives. IPR occurs through

2160-427: The need to frequently resupply the space station. De facto, unacknowledged or unplanned potable reuse refers to situations where reuse of treated wastewater is practiced but is not officially recognized. For example, a sewage treatment plant from one city may be discharging effluents to a river which is used as a drinking water supply for another city downstream. Unplanned Indirect Potable Use has existed for

2214-585: The other end. The soil could be used for growing vegetables , and the bioreactor also produces electricity . Aboard the International Space Station, astronauts have been able to drink recycled urine due to the introduction of the ECLSS system. The system costs $ 250 million and has been working since May 2009. The system recycles wastewater and urine back into potable water used for drinking, food preparation, and oxygen generation. This cuts back on

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2268-498: The overall quality of water resources, local actions often present the starting point the most fruitful efforts. The WWAP case studies aim to provide a snapshot of those efforts while showing the significance of the decisions taken at local, sub-national and national levels. The lessons learned, from both successes and failures, may be shared with other countries interested in addressing such issues. SDG 6 – Synthesis Report The SDG 6 Synthesis Report aims to provide an overview of

2322-506: The periodicity of the WWDR into an annual production with a thematic focus on different strategic water issues. The content produced for the WWDR serves as basis for the celebrations of World Water Day (22 March) and related discussions throughout the year. Through a series of assessments, the Reports provide a mechanism for monitoring changes in the resource and its management and tracking progress towards achieving targets, particularly those of

2376-560: The policy-science interface and supports decision-making on water through targeted capacity reinforcement and knowledge sharing initiatives. The capacity building activities are tailored around 3 key themes: UN World Water Development Report • Water and Sustainable Development : The training facilitates peer to peer exchange, development of country case studies and follow-up at country level. The workshop provides policy makers with tools for assessing water data, managing water resources and competing users, dealing with extreme events and with

2430-504: The processed water is hygienically safe, meaning free from pathogens . The following are some of the typical technologies: Ozonation , ultrafiltration , aerobic treatment ( membrane bioreactor ), forward osmosis , reverse osmosis , and advanced oxidation , or activated carbon . Some water-demanding activities do not require high grade water. In this case, wastewater can be reused with little or no treatment. The cost of reclaimed water exceeds that of potable water in many regions of

2484-544: The reclaimed wastewater is used directly or mixed with other sources. Direct potable reuse (DPR) means the reused water is put directly into pipelines that go to a water treatment plant or distribution system. Direct potable reuse may occur with or without "engineered storage" such as underground or above ground tanks. In other words, DPR is the introduction of reclaimed water derived from domestic wastewater after extensive treatment and monitoring to assure that strict water quality requirements are met at all times, directly into

2538-498: The rehabilitation of natural ecosystems (for example in wetlands ). The main reclaimed water applications in the world are shown below: In rarer cases reclaimed water is also used to augment drinking water supplies. Most of the uses of water reclamation are non-potable uses such as washing cars, flushing toilets, cooling water for power plants, concrete mixing, artificial lakes, irrigation for golf courses and public parks, and for hydraulic fracturing . Where applicable, systems run

2592-425: The resource is of fundamental importance as the basis for decision-making and that national capacities to undertake necessary assessments must be fully supported. Management decisions to alleviate poverty, to allow economic development , to ensure food security and the health of human populations as well as preserve vital ecosystems, must be based on our best possible understanding of all relevant systems. In 1998,

2646-612: The status of SDG 6 implementation at the global and regional levels, as well as some comprehensive information about how SDG 6 is interlinked to other SDG targets and indicators of the Agenda 2030 and the overall sustainability challenges that nations around the world are faced with. By summarizing the progress towards the achievement of SDG 6, this report will provide Member States with the ‘big picture’ on water and sanitation issues, outlining ways to accelerate progress towards this goal. Lessons learned and win-win solutions by which more than one SDG

2700-483: The use of reclaimed water from treated wastewater, has been a long-established reality in many (semi)arid countries and regions. It helps to alleviate water scarcity by supplementing limited freshwater resources." The water that is used as an input to the treatment and reuse processes can be from a variety of sources. Usually it is wastewater ( domestic or municipal, industrial or agricultural wastewater) but it could also come from urban runoff . Reclaimed water

2754-1016: The world's population becomes increasingly urbanized and concentrated near coastlines, where local freshwater supplies are limited or are available only with large capital expenditure . Large quantities of freshwater can be saved by municipal wastewater reuse and recycling, reducing environmental pollution and improving carbon footprint . Reuse can be an alternative water supply option. Achieving more sustainable sanitation and wastewater management will require emphasis on actions linked to resource management, such as wastewater reuse or excreta reuse that will keep valuable resources available for productive uses. This in turn supports human wellbeing and broader sustainability . Water/wastewater reuse, as an alternative water source, can provide significant economic, social and environmental benefits, which are key motivators for implementing such reuse programs. These benefits include: Reclaiming water for reuse applications instead of using freshwater supplies can be

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2808-413: The world, where fresh water is plentiful. However, reclaimed water is usually sold to citizens at a cheaper rate to encourage its use. As fresh water supplies become limited from distribution costs, increased population demands, or climate change , the cost ratios will evolve also. The evaluation of reclaimed water needs to consider the entire water supply system, as it may bring important flexibility into

2862-467: The world, where fresh water is plentiful. The costs of water reclamation options might be compared to the costs of alternative options which also achieve similar effects of freshwater savings, namely greywater reuse systems, rainwater harvesting and stormwater recovery , or seawater desalination . Water recycling and reuse is of increasing importance, not only in arid regions but also in cities and contaminated environments. Municipal wastewater reuse

2916-613: The “Toolkits”, with the aim of addressing the considerable data gap on gender and water issues at the global level. The project developed a methodology using the indicators with the aim of advocating for the implementation of gender-sensitive water monitoring in the post-2015 agenda and, in particular, in the monitoring framework of the SDGs. World Water Assessment Programme UNESCO UN-Water UN World Water Development Report Water crisis (disambiguation) Water crisis could refer to: Water reuse Water reclamation

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