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

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 m 3 (m 3 = 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.…

• GO
  Government of Canada
• GA
  Global Affairs Canada
• CO
  Consortium of International Agricultural Research Centers