Introduction
At present, sustainability has become one of the central objectives of national development, and many organizations adjust their operational processes according to sustainability goals. The research transparently reflects the negative impact of manufacturing on global ecology and reveals the necessity of innovative and green approaches to business (Penn & Parker, 2011). This perspective is particularly significant to water management since water is a finite resource, and many developing nations struggle with a consistent supply of clean water (Penn & Parker, 2011). The processes in this field include wastewater treatment and water reuse, which allow using recycled water for various purposes. Ultimately, the current essay demonstrates the significance of sustainable engineering on the example of wastewater treatment and consequent water reuse.
Wastewater Treatment
As mentioned briefly before, the two primary processes in sustainable water management are wastewater treatment and water reuse. Wastewater refers to the by-product of using fresh water in manufacturing and daily activities (United Nations, 2015). The used water generally contains a large number of contaminants, including organic pollutants, heavy metals, various microorganisms, and plant nutrients (United Nations, 2015). From these considerations, wastewater cannot be immediately used for most domestic and agricultural activities and should be recycled or safely disposed. The research also demonstrates that the current sewerage systems in most countries do not guarantee sustainable methods of domestic water disposal (United Nations, 2015). The flaws of the collection systems include inappropriate maintenance, poor planning, lack of emergency response to natural disasters, and many others (United Nations, 2015). Therefore, one of the primary sustainable goals is to improve the quality of wastewater treatment.
For this purpose, the two primary methods are enhancing the quality of collection systems and the invention of innovative and sustainable management processes. The former concerns both domestic and industrial usages of water and should be controlled on national and international levels. The United Nations attempts to improve the quality of wastewater management worldwide; nevertheless, there is still much room for improvement (United Nations, 2015). The second method concerns contemporary sustainable engineering research and the application of innovative technologies. There is a large number of studies that demonstrate the effectiveness of this approach. For instance, Yan et al. (2017) reveal an energy-efficient system of wastewater purification. Consequently, Llacer-Iglesias et al. (2021) prove that sustainable engineering methods might significantly enhance water management and prevent the crisis of water demand in the future. Khandaker et al. (2021) examine the potential of using microbial fuel cells to achieve sustainable wastewater treatment. Ultimately, the innovative methods of sustainable engineering might significantly enhance the water management systems.
Water Reuse
The second essential process in water management is water reuse or water reclamation. This operation generally refers to the sustainable system that recycles the wastewater into water applicable for drinking (Penn & Parker, 2011). At present, the described process remains a relatively controversial subject as many people are unwilling to drink recycled wastewater (Penn & Parker, 2011). Nevertheless, water, as well as many other resources on the planet, is finite. From these considerations, most experts agree that recycling is the most sustainable and effective method of living (Penn & Parker, 2011). Similar to the wastewater treatment strategies, water reuse is applicable to both domestic and industrial by-products. As a result, a global and comprehensive approach to water reuse might significantly reduce the load on natural water bodies, and humanity might avoid the potential water crisis.
Evidently, sustainable engineering plays a vital part in controlling water pollution and creating innovative methods of water reuse. At present, there is also a problem of cost-efficiency of water reclamation systems as the research demonstrates that a sustainable approach is too expensive for developing countries (Voulvoulis, 2018). Specifically, semi-arid and desert areas suffer from the problem of water scarcity and require effective systems of water management (Voulvoulis, 2018). Therefore, due to the high costs of sustainable alternatives, the nations in this climate utilize urban water reuse, which is detrimental to the environment (Voulvoulis, 2018). The research groups need to take cost-efficiency and impact on national economics into consideration when creating sustainable water management systems. From these considerations, some experts suggest using innovative approaches of sustainable engineering in combination with methods of economic development (Voulvoulis, 2018). As a result, the cooperation of several disciplines might provide better results and make a positive change toward water sustainability.
Conclusion
The current essay has demonstrated the utmost significance of wastewater treatment and water reuse for sustainable development. The introduction of innovative distillation and disposal technologies notably decreases the negative impact on ecology and promotes responsible water usage. Furthermore, the cooperation of international organizations, such as the United Nations, and research groups in the field of sustainable engineering might significantly improve the quality of water management. Many experts perceive wastewater treatment and water reuse as the only productive solutions to the potential water crisis; therefore, it is essential to continually develop innovative methods of sustainable water management. As a result, humanity must strive to meet the goals of sustainable engineering and adopt appropriate strategies.
References
Khandaker, S., Das, S., Hossain, M. T., Islam, A., Miah, M. R., & Awual, M. R. (2021). Sustainable approach for wastewater treatment using microbial fuel cells and green energy generation-A comprehensive review. Journal of Molecular Liquids.
Llácer-Iglesias, R. M., López-Jiménez, P. A., & Pérez-Sánchez, M. (2021). Energy self-sufficiency aiming for sustainable wastewater systems: Are all options being explored. Sustainability, 13(10), 5537.
Penn, M. R., & Parker, P. J. (2011). Introduction to infrastructure: An introduction to civil and environmental engineering. Wiley.
United Nations. (2015). Wastewater management: A UN-Water analytical brief. Web.
Voulvoulis, N. (2018). Water reuse from a circular economy perspective and potential risks from an unregulated approach. Current Opinion in Environmental Science & Health, 2, 32-45.
Yan, P., Qin, R. C., Guo, J. S., Yu, Q., Li, Z., Chen, Y. P.,… & Fang, F. (2017). Net-zero-energy model for sustainable wastewater treatment. Environmental Science & Technology, 51(2), 1017-1023.