The challenge of supporting and monitoring safe wastewater use in agriculture in LMIC

• Published in: npj clean water Vol. 7; no. 1; pp. 67 - 3
• Main Authors: Drechsel, Pay, Bartram, James, Qadir, Manzoor, Medlicott, Kate O.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 23-07-2024; Nature Publishing Group; Nature Portfolio
• Subjects: 704/172/169/895; 704/844/1759; Agricultural wastes; Agriculture; Aquatic Pollution; Artificial intelligence; Comment; Consumers; Drinking water; Earth and Environmental Science; Environment; Farmers; Farms; Food chains; Food safety; Informal economy; Irrigation; Nanotechnology; Pathogens; Public health; Waste Water Technology; Wastewater treatment; Wastewater use; Water Industry/Water Technologies; Water Management; Water Pollution Control; Water quality; Water Quality/Water Pollution; Water reuse; Water treatment
• ISSN: 2059-7037; 2059-7037
• DOI: 10.1038/s41545-024-00364-z

Unsafe water reuse in the informal irrigation sector dominates in the Global South and requires more attention to protect food safety and public health. Promoting formal wastewater use in conjunction with (usually constrained) investment in treatment capacities is not sufficient in LMIC. New approaches and indicators are needed across the formal and informal reuse sectors to increase food safety and monitor progress on safe reuse. Current reuse guidelines need to be updated with greater attention to policy, regulations, investments, and behavior change for a higher implementation potential.