Up and down the sanitation ladder: Harmonizing the treatment and multiple-barrier perspectives on risk reduction in wastewater irrigated agriculture

TY - JOUR

T1 - Up and down the sanitation ladder: Harmonizing the treatment and multiple-barrier perspectives on risk reduction in wastewater irrigated agriculture

AU - Keraita, Bernard

AU - Drechsel, P.

AU - Konradsen, Flemming

PY - 2010

Y1 - 2010

N2 - This paper discusses two prominent perspectives in the debate on risk reduction in wastewater irrigation; reliance on conventional wastewater treatment and the multiple-barrier approach. The treatment perspective is based on water-quality standards for wastewater irrigation with treatment considered the ultimate risk reduction measure. The somewhat broader multiple-barrier perspective supports the use of a combination of pre-farm, on-farm and post-farm barriers, including, where possible, wastewater treatment, to meet required health targets. The discussion in this paper shows that each perspective has strengths and limitations. Rather than being opposing philosophies, they both support health risk reduction but in different ways depending on the level of the country in the sanitation ladder. Since each perspective has limitations, the recommendation is to capitalize on their strengths and explore synergies to optimize their applications for optimum risk reduction.

AB - This paper discusses two prominent perspectives in the debate on risk reduction in wastewater irrigation; reliance on conventional wastewater treatment and the multiple-barrier approach. The treatment perspective is based on water-quality standards for wastewater irrigation with treatment considered the ultimate risk reduction measure. The somewhat broader multiple-barrier perspective supports the use of a combination of pre-farm, on-farm and post-farm barriers, including, where possible, wastewater treatment, to meet required health targets. The discussion in this paper shows that each perspective has strengths and limitations. Rather than being opposing philosophies, they both support health risk reduction but in different ways depending on the level of the country in the sanitation ladder. Since each perspective has limitations, the recommendation is to capitalize on their strengths and explore synergies to optimize their applications for optimum risk reduction.

KW - Faculty of Science

KW - wastewater

KW - irrigation

KW - Risk Reduction Behavior

U2 - 10.1007/s10795-009-9087-5

DO - 10.1007/s10795-009-9087-5

M3 - Journal article

SN - 0168-6291

VL - 24

SP - 23

EP - 35

JO - Irrigation and Drainage Systems

JF - Irrigation and Drainage Systems

IS - 1-2

ER -