Impact of novel wastewater treatment technology on health risks (India)

Kanpur Metropolitan Area faces the challenges of increasing water demand due to rapid urbanization. These challenges call for a shift from a ‘take-use-waste’ approach to circular water management. Wastewater is therefore seen as an asset, and farmers in Kanpur use wastewater for irrigation. However, due to the insufficient treatment capacity of the sewage treatment plant, the microbiological quality of effluents produced do not comply with stipulated treatment and reuse standards, which poses significant risks to the treatment plant workers and the community’s health. Innovative wastewater treatment and reuse are critical to improving the wastewater system and meeting water demand. This study explored the treatment and reuse processes, the microbiological quality, the health risks associated with wastewater treatment and reuse through wastewater safety planning, and the impact of the novel technology on the health risks in Kanpur. It concluded that the novel technology had no significant impact on the health risks associated with wastewater treatment. However, it dramatically reduces the health risks attributed to reusing the treated effluent for irrigation. Recommendations to mitigate the health risks and identify gaps for further studies were then proposed.