Wastewater: the untapped resource

Most human activities that use water produce wastewater. As the overall demand for water grows, the quantity of wastewater produced and its overall pollution load are continuously increasing worldwide. In all but the most highly developed countries, the vast majority of wastewater is released directly to the environment without adequate treatment, with detrimental impacts on human health, economic productivity, the quality of ambient freshwater resources, and ecosystems. Although wastewater is a critical component of the water management cycle, water after it has been used is all too often seen as a burden to be disposed of or a nuisance to be ignored. The results of this neglect are now obvious. The immediate impacts, including the degradation of aquatic ecosystems and waterborne illness from contaminated freshwater supplies, have far-reaching implications on the well-being of communities and peoples’ livelihoods. Continued failure to address wastewater as a major social and environmental problem would compromise other efforts towards achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. In the face of ever-growing demand, wastewater is gaining momentum as a reliable alternative source of water, shifting the paradigm of wastewater management from ‘treatment and disposal’ to ‘reuse, recycle and resource recovery’. In this sense, wastewater is no longer seen as a problem in need of a solution, rather it is part of the solution to challenges that societies are facing today. Wastewater can also be a cost-efficient and sustainable source of energy, nutrients, organic matter and other useful by-products. The potential benefits of extracting such resources from wastewater go well beyond human and environmental health, with implications on food and energy security as well as climate change mitigation. In the context of a circular economy, whereby economic development is balanced with the protection of natural resources and environmental sustainability, wastewater represents a widely available and valuable resource. The outlook is undeniably optimistic, provided action is taken now

Korea-Namgang and Taegu water supply project

노트 : This document has a restricted distribution and may be used by recipients only in the performance of their official duties. Its contents may not otherwise be disclosed without World Bank authorization

Climate & Food Security Monitoring Bulletin 3rd Quarter 2019 (July – September)

First half of 2019, total rainfall has been below average, despite the fact that June, July and the first ten days of August experienced considerable rainfall, confined mostly to the South-Western Regions. Meteorological forecasts suggest areas in the dry-zone are expected to remain dry through to September. Abnormally dry and moderate drought conditions remain in pockets of North, North-Western, North-Central, Uva and Eastern Provinces. Focus must be placed on risk reduction, adaption measures, and preparedness for drought response interventions; including integrated drought resilience programs to promote improved drought resilience strategies from climate shocks. Surplus Maha (2018/19) and Yala (2019) paddy production means there is no immediate food shortage, and total rice availability is sufficient to meet demand until January 2020 (Department of Agriculture). However, dry conditions and pest attacks in pockets of Kurunagala, Batticaloa, Ampara, Puttalam and Trincomalee caused the destruction of 4,362 ha of paddy. This will not have a major impact on overall paddy production, but will have adverse localised impacts

INTEGRATED WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT: A GENDER PERSPECTIVE

Summary The concept of integrated water resources management (WRM) is currently high on the international policy making agenda and has gained momentum as an approach important from both economic and environmental viewpoints. This article looks critically at the broad approach to women adopted in the WRM policy and then examines, using a gender perspective, two key areas of the policy agenda: pricing and environmental protection and conservation. Although the approach has potential for increased responsiveness of WRM to the interests of women, it is argued that to the extent that gender analysis is limited, these potentialities may be lost. Given the likely influence of the policy, it is crucial at this stage to ensure that a gender analysis of the conceptual, methodological and empirical dimensions of WRM informs the frameworks and practices currently being developed and authenticated under the ‘new consensus’. RESUME La gestion intégrée des resources en eau: une perspective basée dans le genre Le concept WRM de la gestion intégrée des ressources en eau occupe actuellement une place avancée à l'ordre du jour de la politique internationale; qui plus est, l'importance de ce concept s'accroît non seulement en termes économiques mais aussi, du point de vue de l'environnement. Les auteurs de l'article offrent un aperçu critique de l'approche générale adoptée dans la politique WRM au niveau des femmes; puis, à partir de la perspective du genre, l'article examine deux aspects clef du programme politique: la détermination des prix, et la protection/conservation de l'environnement. Bien que l'approche offre plus de potentiel au niveau de l'accroisement et de l'amélioration du concept WRM en ce qui concerne les intérêts des femmes, il est par contre proposé que (dans la mesure où l'analyse par le genre est peu développée dans ce concept), ces potentialités manquent de se concrétiser. Si l'on tient compte des éventuelles influences de cette politique de gestion intégrée, il est essentiel de veiller à ce stade à ce que l'analyse par le genre des dimensions conceptuelles, méthodologiques et empiriques du concept de la gestion intégrée des ressources en eau puisse informer les structures et les pratiques en voie d'élaboration et de valorisation dans le “nouveau concensus”. RESUMEN El manejo integrado de la provisión de agua: una perspectiva de género El concepto de un manejo integrado en la provisión de agua (WRM) va adquiriendo mucha importancia en la agenda de elaboración de políticas internacionales, y ha cobrado más impulso como enfoque importante desde puntos de vista tanto económicos como medio ambientales. Este artículo da una opinión crítica de la actitud hacia la mujer adoptada por las políticas de WRM, y también examina, desde una perspectiva de género, dos áreas clave de esta agenda: el precio de la protección ambiental y la conservación. Aunque el enfoque se presta para una mayor repuesta de WRM a los intereses de la mujer, mientras este análisis de género se mantenga limitado este potencial puede perderse. Tomando en cuenta la posible influencia de este enfoque, es esencial en la presente etapa asegurar que el análisis de género de las dimensiones conceptuales, metodológicas y empíricas de WRM informen exhaustivamente a los esquemas y prácticas de trabajo actualmente en proceso de desarrollo y autenticación bajo el ‘nuevo consenso’

Mapping a better future: how spatial analysis can benefit wetlands and reduce poverty in Uganda

This publication presents study carried on Ugandan abundant natural wealth. Its varied wetlands, including grass swamps, mountain bogs, seasonal floodplains, and swamp forests, provide services and products worth hundreds of millions of dollars per year, making them a vital contributor to the national economy. Ugandans use wetlands-;often called the country';s ";granaries for water";-;to sustain their lives and livelihoods. They rely on them for water, construction material, and fuel, and use them for farming, fishing, and to graze livestock. Wetlands supply direct or subsistence employment for 2.7 million people, almost 10 percent of the population. In many parts of the country, wetland products and services are the sole source for livelihoods and the main safety net for the poorest households. Sustainable management of Uganda';s wetlands is thus not only sound economic policy, it is also a potent strategy for poverty reduction. Recognizing this, Uganda';s Government was the first to create a national wetlands policy in Africa. Over the past decade, Uganda has also instituted the National Wetlands Information System, a rich database on the use and health of Uganda';s wetlands which in its coverage and detail is unique in Africa. This publication builds on those initiatives by combining information from the wetlands database with pioneering poverty location maps developed by the Uganda Bureau of Statistics. The new maps and accompanying analyses will help policy-makers classify wetlands by their main uses, conditions, and poverty profile and identify areas with the greatest need of pro-poor wetland management interventions. The information generated can also be fed into national poverty reduction strategies and resource management plans. This is an innovative, pragmatic approach to integrating efforts to reduce poverty while sustaining ecosystems which has implications for improving policy-making in Uganda and beyond

Climate & Food Security Monitoring Bulletin

Wet conditions prevailed during December 2020 and January 2021 over the country, however, dry conditions were also experienced from February to April 2021 in many parts of the country. A considerable amount of rainfall was received across the country during the North-East monsoon (December 2020 to February 2021), however, it was less in the central areas compared to the long-term average. The DMC, NDRSC, Military, and Public Administrative agencies implemented a special preparedness programme which was supported by WFP and other agencies during October and November to prepare for the North-East monsoon, however only minor flooding was experienced in addition to the havoc created by cyclone “Burevi” in the northern region. Meanwhile, an above-normal rainfall was observed in North-central, North-western and Northern regions (Figure 01 & 02) during December and January, accumulating good water storage in tanks in the Dry & Intermediate zones. These favourable rainfall regimes during the “Maha” season helped to enhance the cultivation of paddy, vegeta bles, fruits and other cash crops, despite the COVID-19 outbreak. The 2020/21 "Maha" season harvest was above the 10-year average despite the delayed start of the season due to weak second inter-monsoon rains during Octo ber and November 2020. The movement restrictions imposed to contain the COVID-19 outbreak during October and November, impacted the household economy and food security in the country. The consequent return to functioning markets and sup ply chain helped to stabilize the demand and supply of food and other essentials. The Government also com menced an island-wide home gardening campaign to increase domestic production, which helped to provide stable income options for vulnerable communities while ensuring household food security. The current storage levels of major and medium reservoirs in the country are above average, which is conducive for a good Yala cropping season in 2021. For the next three months, near-normal rains are forecasted, associated with the conditions created by a mild La-Nina event currently observed in the equatorial Pacific Ocean and neutral IOD in the Indian Ocean, which may not negatively influence the water storage and cultivation in the 2021 Yala season

Climate & Food Security Monitoring Bulletin Maha Season 2019 - 2020

A successful Maha Season 2019-2020 means paddy production is estimated to be sufficient to meet domestic demand until September 2020. Floods, mainly along the East and North coast, caused an estimated production loss of 57,065 Mt. This however, should not have an impact on short- to medium-term food security. Limitation of vegetables and onions were observed in early 2020