Introduction
Sustainable and Eco-friendly water treatment refers to methods which do not harm the environment, or expel a lot of energy in the process of delivering water that is purified.
They want such systems to help decrease the general use of energy, decrease the reliance on chemicals, and reuse water resources.
There is therefore a need to have sustainable water treatment, since water is a vital necessity in society and other productive processes. However, conventional approaches to water treatment are known to cause high energy consumption, generation of hazardous waste and very much negative impact to the environment.
Thankfully, through adopting sustainable practices in the use of water, these bad effects can be minimized, while at the same time providing safe and clean water to those in need.
This article will examine the steps to be taken in developing water treatment systems with an aim of reducing the above effects on the environment, as well as enhancing the use of water.
Environmental Impacts of Water Treatment
It should be stated that every water treatment process is important for water purification, but they are not without harm to the environment.
A major factor is the energy requirement in traditional treatment approaches that use high energy which leads to the emission of greenhouse gasses.
According to the World Energy Council, the energy consumed in water treatment plants across the world contributes significantly to the emission of carbon into the atmosphere, hence the advancement of the climate change issue (https://www.worldenergy.org/).
Chemical usage, especially discharge to the environment is also an issue. A majority of centralized systems use high amounts of chemicals, including chlorine, coagulants, and flocculants to treat water.
These chemicals in parts can be released into the water bodies, hence causing pollution affecting the lives of water beings. It is worth remembering that chlorine and chlorides products are known to be lethal to fish and other life forms thereby disturbing balances in ecosystems.
Furthermore, water treatment may invite such consequences as water loss and waste production. For example, during the operation of reverse osmosis technologies, unwanted water losses are observed and concentrated brine is produced. This waste if not disposed of appropriately can pollute the soil as well as the water resources.
Last but not the least, the construction and functioning of centralized and large scale Water Treatment Plants pose problems of habitat destruction and ecological impacts.
Development of such facilities entails filling wetlands, forests or any other natural habitats, hence leading to loss of species, and interference with the water system.
The following are sustainable principles of water treatment:
This is why sustainable water treatment consists of principles that would minimize the adverse effects on the environment.
One of them is to minimize energy demand and carbon footprint with the help of energy efficient technologies and renewable energy.
For instance, the use of solar-powered water treatment systems can significantly lower the carbon footprint of these processes, as highlighted by the International Renewable Energy Agency (https://www.irena.org/).
A good example in this case is the principle that ensures usage and disposal of chemicals are kept to the lowest level possible. This can be achieved by adopting other techniques that may include natural filtration, or what are commonly referred to as biological systems of water treatment, which uses water as the primary reagent in treatment. Also, technologies which include recycling of the chemicals used in the process of treating the water also minimize harm to the environment.
Another factor consists in reaching the maximum possible level of water reuse and recycling. Sustainable systems recycle water severally or in multiple cycles, hence minimizing the use of freshwater. This not only conserves water, but also reduces the volume of wastewater that needs to be treated and discharged, as supported by research from the [United Nations](https://www.un.org/waterforlifedecade/).
Lastly, sustainable water treatment should also commit to preserving the flora and fauna of the environment. This includes coming up with systems that are in accord with the natural systems; for example, wastewater treatment through constructed wetlands that is an imitation of the actual wetlands.
Sustainable Water Treatment Technologies
Several emerging technologies are arguably the best in addressing sustainable water issues, especially in treatment.
Biological treatment systems are the most promising ones, taking into consideration the information mentioned above.
Such systems include constructed wetlands and bioreactors – these systems employ microorganisms that degrade the pollutants in question by themselves.
Constructed wetlands for instance imitate the natural wetlands, whereby water is filtered through vegetation and soil to remove pollutants, and at the same time allow for support of biological diversity.
Similarly, bioreactors utilize microbial consortia to reduce pollutants and organic load, which is far more energy efficient than conventional processes.
Physical treatment systems are also considered to be the important components.
Some of the common methods used in separation are filtration and sedimentation to separate suspended solids from water.
Other elaborate filtering devices such as the membrane filters are quite efficient in filtering out particles as minute as those mentioned above, and at the same time, they consume little energy.
Sedimentation tanks enable the water to be left to stand so that the heavier materials can settle at the bottom, thus no need to use coagulants.
Besides, biological and physical based chemical treatment systems are also developing with sustainability consideration.
Advanced oxidation processes (AOPs), For example, ozone or hydrogen peroxide helps in the oxidation of various organic pollutants in water to less hazardous products. Such processes can be used along with disinfection methods that employ ultraviolet light or ozone, and are less harsh on the environment as compared to chlorination.
The Integrated Technologies Systems which are also called hybrid treatment systems is an excellent approach towards sustainable water treatment.
Biological, physical, and chemical methods of the systems enable them to deal with most of the contaminants within minimal impacts on the environment. For instance, a biological treatment method to deal with organic compounds, a physical method to screen out suspended particles, and then chemical treatment to disinfect water.
These integrated approaches are appreciated more and more as efficient solutions for obtaining water treatment of sustainable and environmentally friendly character.
Case Studies
Sustainable Water Treatment System is defined as the process of applying sustainable techniques in water treatment, in order to make the process more efficient, and more environmentally friendly to human’s health.
Many practical examples show that it is possible to use sustainable approaches to water treatment. All these examples can be considered to underline the possibility of the use of the sustainable approach to water treatment.
Municipal water treatment plants in countries including the Netherlands, such as Amsterdam, have implemented green infrastructure solutions like constructed wetland and energy efficient technologies, with the purpose to decrease their overall influence to the environment while pumping water to urban residents.
These plants demonstrate how sustainable practices can be integrated into large-scale operations to benefit both the environment and the community
[source](https://www.epa.gov/green-infrastructure/what-green-infrastructure). Hence, in the industrial world they have applied closed-loop water treatment that is used in the industrial operations to minimize the consumption of water and generation of wastes like PepsiCo.
This approach is a good example of best practice of how industries or business entities can reduce the impacts that they have on the environment, without necessarily compromising on their performance.
Another area in which sustainable water management can be achieved is through decentralized and community-based water treatment systems, especially where there is little or no utility infrastructure. For example, rural regions of India have actually continued the harvest of rainwater, along with the use of solar water purification; drinking water has been supplied to villages in this manner along with the conservation of the ecosystem.
Challenges and Opportunities
The use of sustainable water treatment systems also presents several challenges as mentioned below. A major challenge which has however remained resistant to changes, is the initial investment and infrastructure requisites required; issues of capital intensive which are relatively very much of a burden to both the utilities as well as the industries involved. Advanced technologies and new infrastructure require substantial investment, often making it difficult for widespread adoption [Source](https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/drinking-water).
There are also problems of public acceptance and education as observed from the case study. Some stakeholders may be ignorant of, or reluctant to adopt new technologies, particularly any involving water re-use or any process other than conventional.
Effective public education and outreach programs are necessary to build trust and support for sustainable water practices [source](https://www.un.org/waterforlifedecade/).
Another problem is the ability to incorporate sustainable systems within the existing buildings. Integrating technologies into existing buildings is not always easy and can be costly, and hence needs much planning and coordination within institutions.
Nevertheless, these are the problems that open innovation and new technologies to help tackle those obstacles that may come their way. As more focus is placed on sustainability, there is growing interest in developing cost-effective, scalable solutions that can be integrated with existing systems [source](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7904470/).
Future Directions
Regarding the future of sustainable water treatment, it is evident that there is a need for new technologies, and innovations. These are some of the trends that technologies in the fields of nanotechnology, artificial intelligence, as well as data analytics in water and wastewater management fields that are expected to help change how water is treated.
These innovations have the potential to make water treatment more efficient, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly [source](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7904470/).
Water-energy relationships have an essential influence on the future water recycling system. Hence, future systems can count on producing energy from the wastewater through processes such as, anaerobic digestion or even other resource values such as phosphates, thus minimizing the impact and generating added value.
Laws and guidelines will be factors that will define change in management and treatment of water sustainably.
The governments and the international organizations need to set up standards and offer rewards with regard to the adoption of sustainable practices, as Aligning policy with technological innovation will be key to fostering the development and implementation of water treatment systems that safeguard both human health and the environment. [source](https://www.worldwatercouncil.org/en).
Conclusion
There are many measures to take when it comes to water treatment in order to ensure that the environment is less affected and clean water is provided.
This article showed the issues of traditional techniques, including energy and chemical use and leading to environment exploitation, along with options for energy saving technologies and water recycling. Proven strategies from municipal industrial, and community systems demonstrate that these strategies work and are feasible.
In order to reduce water wastage and pollution, there are several measures individuals, organizations/political governments, industries and the entire community should take. Realizing change and encouraging policies that will protect the environment means that people will have a safer world and better water supply.