Intervention for wastewater management and water source protection

Water is life, Currently, our water resources are vulnerable to contamination from numerous anthropogenic sources including agricultural and stormwater runoff, onsite sanitation systems and domestic wastewater. The massive surge in wastewater generation in urban and rural areas poses a potential threat to water resources and needs to be addressed quickly. Conventionally, sewage and stormwater runoff were managed through grey infrastructures like sewage treatment plants and stabilisation ponds. However, they are primarily centralised infrastructures requiring high capital costs and maintenance. Recently nature-based solutions (NbS) have gained more attention over grey infrastructures as low-cost, decentralised and sustainable alternatives for treating domestic wastewater, stormwater runoff, agricultural runoff, and industrial wastewater. NbS involves different ecosystem-based landscape approaches such as constructed wetlands, floating treatment wetlands, rain gardens, bioswales, retention basins, green roofs and green gardens designed to mimic natural ecosystems. NbS provides many ecosystem services, such as flood hazard mitigation, water quality treatment, thermal reduction and urban biodiversity enhancement. It also delivers cultural services such as recreation, education and aesthetic appreciation. The NbS focuses on natural treatment systems for sustainable wastewater management. These systems are applicable in both urban and rural contexts.