Originally published in World Economic Forum
Water and climate are inextricably linked. We see the effects of climate change showing up largely through water, with extreme weather events intensifying in frequency and severity. But we aren’t prepared for the massive changes that are happening, which will challenge overburdened infrastructure, water supply and treatment. Decentralised wastewater treatment is one solution that can help us as we are forced to adapt to this new reality. By augmenting or replacing centralised treatment facilities with smaller, decentralised systems we can provide cost-effective sanitation and water in rural areas, as well as reduce strain and build in redundancy to existing infrastructure.