In 1992, the United Nations General Assembly designated March 22^nd as the World Water Day to draw attention to the importance of freshwater and advocate for the sustainable management of freshwater resources.

World Water Day 2017 focuses on “wastewater”. Urban and rural activities result in the production of a massive amount of wastewater which returns to the atmosphere without being reused. Simultaneously, global trends such as demographic growth and urbanisation tend to increase the freshwater consumption and related wastewater production.

The tourism sector bears responsibility because tourists generally use about 30% more water than locals. In addition, certain tourist areas are located on coasts or islands where water resources are more likely to be scarce.

Although the treatment of wastewater is crucial to avoid sanitary problems and environmental pollution, it represents an important and promising source of water and is perceived as a valuable resource in the circular economy.

LGI recently published an Innovation Outlook report dedicated to water reuse within the tourism sector. This report provides a global analysis of the wastewater reuse challenges and links them to specific conditions in the tourism sector and the Mediterranean region.

Contact:
Mathieu Salel, Innovation Consultant