3292018 Does Nature Have the Solutions to Our Water Problems - Our World

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Does Nature Have the Solutions to Our Water ProblemsDEVELOPMENT amp SOCIETY Ecosystems Water Pollution Environment

2018bull03bull22 Kurt Bruumlggemann and Tamara Avellaacuten United Nations University

World Water Day is celebrated every year on 22 March to draw attention to the importanceof water for humankind and our planet This yearrsquos World Water Day theme is lsquoNature forWaterrsquo mdash a theme echoed in the UN World Water Development Report 2018(httpunesdocunescoorgimages0026002614261424epdf) launched this weekduring the 8th World Water Forum in Brasilia Brazil The report highlights that ldquosustainablewater security will not be achieved through business-as-usual approachesrdquo Watermanagement must increase the use of nature-based solutions ldquoto work with nature insteadof against itrdquo

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Photo Chesapeake Bay Program Creative Commons BY-NC 20

3292018 Does Nature Have the Solutions to Our Water Problems - Our World

httpsourworldunueduendoes-nature-have-the-solutions-to-our-water-problems 26

The global water cycle is facing many challenges The overall water demand is increasingmainly because the global population is growing economies are emerging andconsumption patterns are changing Climate change is intensifying the water cycle whichmeans that dry areas are becoming drier and wet regions are becoming wetter Themajority of rivers in Africa Asia and Latin America have become more polluted(httpsunepliveuneporgmediadocsassessmentsunep_wwqa_report_webpdf)presumably due to population and economic growth as well as the lack of wastewatermanagement systems Over five billion people could be affected by water shortages by2050 (httpsreliefwebintsitesreliefwebintfilesresources261424epdf) Simply putour planet and societies are facing many severe water management challenges andaffordable and effective sustainable solutions are urgently needed

Learning from nature

The good news is we donrsquot have to only come up with brilliant new solutions The naturalworld surrounding us offers a multitude of so-called nature-based solutions to conserveand rehabilitate water ecosystems across all sectors particularly regarding sustainableagriculture and sustainable cities Nature-based solutions (NBS) mdash actions that are inspiredand supported by nature and that use or mimic natural processes to manage resources mdashprovide multiple services to address these challenges and offer further benefits

Constructed wetlands are an example of an untapped low-technology cost-effective NBSfor pollution control securing water supply and improving agricultural resourcemanagement They are engineered systems using the natural functions of soil plants andmicroorganisms to retain water and improve water quality Moreover they recycle nutrients(eg nitrogen and phosphorous) provide habitats and contribute to recreation educationresearch and landscape enhancement (under appropriate circumstances)

A United Nations University study (httpsfloresunueduennewsnewsconstructed-wetlands-to-turn-wastewater-into-energyhtmlinfo)shows that with the strategicintroduction to an ecosystem at the collection and treatment point of wastewater acommunity of 500 people can irrigate about a hectare of agricultural land and fertilise fiveto seven hectares Harvested plants from constructed wetlands for wastewater treatmentcan provide 12 of a villagersquos cooking fuel needs

In another case a constructed wetland was installed along with a resettlement project inthe City of Bayawan in the Philippines(httpwwwsusanaorg_resourcesdocumentsdefault2-51-en-susana-cs-philippines-bayawan-constr-wetlands-2009pdf) Previously families living in informal areas directlydischarged their wastewater into the sea The City Health Office recorded a high number ofcases arising from waterborne diseases (eg diarrhea) The settlement was relocated to thecity outskirts and a new wastewater management system was built The system consists ofsewer pipes with small diameters and a combination of different types of constructedwetlands Thanks to the new system people residing in 676 homes now benefit from safesanitation and wastewater treatment Moreover coastal waters are protected frompollution and treated wastewater is reused in a horticulture and vegetable farming project

3292018 Does Nature Have the Solutions to Our Water Problems - Our World

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More knowledge sharing is needed

Though there are many such projects worldwide there is a lack of information at all levelsand the knowledge base on constructed wetlands needs to be improved The UNU Institutefor Integrated Management of Material Fluxes and of Resources (UNU-FLORES) is currentlydeveloping the Constructed Wetlands Knowledge Platform(httpsfloresunueduennewsnewsglobal-knowledge-platform-on-constructed-wetlands-in-demandhtmlinfo) entailing an interactive map and a comprehensivedatabase to assess the amount of wastewater treated globally by constructed wetlandsand to support scientists practitioners decision-makers and civil society in their efforts toestablish this technology

Nature-based solutions such as constructed wetlands can provide multiple benefits to localcommunities and the environment Successful projects have been implemented around theworld Still there is a lack of information on these nature-based solutions such as howconstructed wetlands address local water challenges More projects such as that of UNU-FLORES are needed to improve the knowledge base and its accessibility so that morenature-based solutions can be implemented to enhance water availability improve waterquality and reduce risks associated with water-related disasters and climate change

bullbullbull

A version of this article first appeared on the SDG Knowledge Hub(httpsdgiisdorgcommentaryguest-articlesdoes-nature-have-the-solutions-to-our-water-problems) ldquoan online resource center for news and commentary regarding theimplementation of the United Nationsrsquo 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Developmentincluding all 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)rdquo

Constructed wetland in Bayawan Philippines shortly after planting Photo SuSanA Secretariat

(httpswwwflickrcomphotosgtzecosan5321132738) Creative Commons BY 20

(httpscreativecommonsorglicensesby20)

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AUTHORS

Kurt BruumlggemannUnited Nations University

Kurt Bruumlggemann is a Junior Researcher at the United Nations University Institute forIntegrated Management of Material Fluxes and of Resources (UNU-FLORES)

Tamara AvellaacutenUnited Nations University

Tamara Avellaacuten is a Research Fellow in the Water Resource Management Unit at the UnitedNations University Institute for Integrated Management of Material Fluxes and of Resource(UNU-FLORES) A biologist by profession she has conducted research on the ecologicalimpacts of water quality on aquatic life and on the effects of excess nutrient loads on plantmorphology At UNU-FLORES Dr Avellaacuten focuses on the linkages of water soil and wastefor reducing resource losses

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3292018 Does Nature Have the Solutions to Our Water Problems - Our World

httpsourworldunueduendoes-nature-have-the-solutions-to-our-water-problems 56

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