Caribbean has potential to lead a revolution in wastewater management – IDB

Wastewater plant in Trinidad

STOCKHOLM, Sweden -The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) said on Monday that Latin America and the Caribbean has the potential to lead a revolution in the management of wastewater as a resource by reusing it in agricultural and industrial activities, and by promoting circular economy models while at the same time striving to meet Sustainable Development Goal 6 by the year 2030.

The IDB said that this is the main message of the Latin America and the Caribbean Focus at the World Water Week to be held here until September 1.

It said the meeting, attended by government and civil society representatives as well as academics from around the world, is being held under the theme “Water and waste: reducing and reusing”.

The IDB, which is coordinating the Latin America and the Caribbean Focus highlighting the region’s challenges and opportunities in this area, said the event will assess each region’s progress in ensuring access to water and sanitation.

“Today 77 per cent of the population in Latin America and the Caribbean lack access to safe sanitation. Only an estimated 28 per cent of the wastewater collected by public sewers receives some kind of treatment before being discharged to the environment.”

The IDB said the eye on Latin America and the Caribbean will hold five theme sessions on issues such as the region’s potential to foster a wastewater treatment revolution, opportunities to promote circular economy models for the industrial sector, connectivity to sanitary networks and faecal sludge management, and the region’s progress in reusing wastewater.