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Exploring Nature-Based Water Treatment Solutions
In the face of escalating industrialization, urbanization, and climate change in Asia, maintaining water quality has become a significant challenge. To address this issue, a collaborative effort led by RMIT University has been initiated to support pilot projects in Vietnam, Sri Lanka, and the Philippines through the Asia-Pacific Network for Global Change Research project. The main focus of these projects is to explore and implement nature-based solutions for water treatment.
One of the key initiatives involved the construction of floating wetlands in Can Tho, Vietnam, and Kandy, Sri Lanka, as well as green roofs in Ho Chi Minh City and constructed wetlands in the Philippines. These projects aimed to effectively remove pollutants from water bodies, providing environmental and communal benefits to the regions. For example, in Vietnam, a green roof using rock, oyster shells, and charcoal was set up on the roof of a research center at Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology for domestic wastewater treatment.
Benefits of Nature-Based Solutions
The use of nature-based solutions for water treatment offers several advantages over traditional methods. Nature-based solutions are popular in Europe for making cities greener and utilizing urban resources in a more sustainable and circular manner. In Southeast Asia, traditional resource management practices that are inherently nature-based have often been overlooked or limited to rural areas. By integrating nature-based solutions in urban areas, cities can become more sustainable, resilient, and liveable.
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The collaborative effort between teams in the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Australia, and Spain highlights the importance of global cooperation in implementing nature-based solutions. By leveraging the expertise and support from diverse stakeholders, the project aims to develop solutions that are tailored to local conditions and are effective in addressing water quality issues in urban areas.
Future Directions and Expansion
The success of the pilot projects has paved the way for future initiatives focused on building capacities and engaging communities in the design and utilization of nature-based solutions across a broader range of sites in the region. This approach emphasizes the importance of local consultation and stakeholder engagement in developing sustainable water treatment solutions that are suitable for diverse urban environments.
The team’s application for a follow-up project underscores their commitment to furthering the adoption of nature-based solutions in urban water treatment. By expanding the scope of their work and involving more people in the process, the project aims to create a lasting impact on water quality management in Southeast Asian cities.
Conclusion
Turning to nature-based solutions for water treatment represents a promising approach to addressing the challenges posed by industrialization, urbanization, and climate change in Asia. The collaborative efforts led by RMIT University have demonstrated the effectiveness of integrating nature-based techniques such as floating wetlands and green roofs in urban water treatment systems. By replicating and scaling these solutions, Southeast Asian cities can become more sustainable, resilient, and liveable while also improving water quality for their residents. The ongoing commitment to expanding these initiatives and engaging local communities underscores the potential for nature-based solutions to play a significant role in shaping the future of water treatment practices in urban areas.
Links to additional Resources:
1. nature.com 2. sciencedirect.com 3. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.Related Wikipedia Articles
Topics: Nature-based water treatment, RMIT University, Urban water treatmentWater treatment
Water treatment is any process that improves the quality of water to make it appropriate for a specific end-use. The end use may be drinking, industrial water supply, irrigation, river flow maintenance, water recreation or many other uses, including being safely returned to the environment. Water treatment removes contaminants and...
Read more: Water treatment
Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology
The Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (abbreviated as RMIT University) is a public research university in Melbourne, Australia. Founded in 1887 by Francis Ormond, RMIT began as a night school offering classes in art, science and technology in response to the industrial revolution in Australia. It was a private college...
Read more: Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology
Water treatment
Water treatment is any process that improves the quality of water to make it appropriate for a specific end-use. The end use may be drinking, industrial water supply, irrigation, river flow maintenance, water recreation or many other uses, including being safely returned to the environment. Water treatment removes contaminants and...
Read more: Water treatment
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