Sustainable Development Goals in the Wastewater Industry
Sustainable Development Goals in the Wastewater Industry
By
Brandum Pierson
DM, ESS
October, 8 2023
The evolution of water treatment is an implication of global sustainable development goals. Individuals and businesses support the initiatives, believing changes can improve drinking water. Additionally, people apply sustainable development goals in real-world scenarios to integrate environmentally friendly techniques into standard operation procedures. Wastewater technology utilization could reduce the fate and transport of pollutants into natural and designed aquatic systems. Water reclamation and waste remediation are techniques applied to improve water quality, and people can use the methods to create sustainable revenue. A belief is people should prioritize environmental economics, sustainability, and quality (Taylor, 2022). Environmental sustainability applied in the water industry is conducive to ecological health.
Utilizing wastewater treated at municipal facilities for beneficial purposes could reduce environmental footprints created by the general public. Environmental footprints result from stress placed on different water supplies. An effect of sustainability in the water industry is improved ecological health. Resource conservation and other best management practices are means to the water-energy nexus. For example, people can use repurposed water for commercial, industrial, and beautification purposes (Environmental Protection Agency, 2023). An example of water reclamation is the sales of reclaimed wastewater for less than the market value. Product placement and differentiation factors into the economies of scale of water reclaimed.
Water reuse is dependent upon consumer demand and product placement. Wastewater treatment facilities can support and promote environmental sustainability to increase awareness. Providing environmental education is an option for improving knowledge of ecological stressors. Community and business leaders can work cohesively to achieve a common milestone of aligning people, planet, and profit. Corporate and social responsibility is a way to prioritize sustainable development goals. Citizens concerned for the environment may find interest in mitigating environmental extremities detrimental to blue spaces; “Besides threatening biodiversity and ecosystems, desertification causes irreparable damage, such as water scarcity, poor sanitation, and a lack of drinking water. Water is not abundant. Water resource management” (Fallah Shayan et al., 2022, 3.1 Environmental). The advancement of wastewater technology and the emphasis on safe practices and procedures could help the public understand water treatment.
References
Environmental Protection Agency. (2023, May 17). Basic information about water reuse. https://www.epa.gov/waterreuse/basic-information-about-water-reuse
Fallah Shayan, N., Mohabbati-Kalejahi, N., Alavi, S., & Zahed, M. A. (2022). Sustainable development goals (SDGs) as a framework for corporate social responsibility (CSR). Sustainability, 14(3), 1222. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14031222
Taylor, S.C. (2022, October 5). Wastewater treatment and the triple bottom line. https://csengineermag.com/wastewater-treatment-and-the-triple-bottom-line/#:~:text=Their%20responsibility%20goes%20beyond%20avoiding,people%2C%20planet%2C%20and%20profits.