Nature for Water and Sanitation (2024)

Nature-Based Solutions

What exactly are nature-based solutions (NBS)? The International Union for Conservation of Nature, defines NBS as “actions to protect, sustainably manage and restore natural or modified ecosystems, which address societal challenges (e.g. climate change, food and water security or natural disasters) effectively and adaptively, while simultaneously providing human well-being and biodiversity benefits”.

Investment in NBS is increasingly seen as a way to address local water challenges in both urban and rural settings such as floods, shortages in supplies, more sustainable usage of the resources or degradation of water quality. A range of methods are increasingly being applied at local levels to restore environmental, social and economic benefits provided by ecosystems. These include restoration of watersheds through reforestation, reducing erosion from arable land or protecting riverine riparian zones, and recreating wetlands for controlling urban and agricultural diffuse pollution. Approaches such as constructed wetlands can also provide valuable services and benefits with respect to water supply, wastewater treatment and water flow regulation.

Mobilizing Action Toward Nature-Based Solutions

The IWA-TNC partnership seeks to encourage and facilitate active involvement of utilities in watershed management and to strengthen the connections between water utilities and regulatory bodies. By contributing new insights to the body of knowledge against which NBS can be assessed, this collaboration aims to build a robust knowledge base and support cross-sector collaboration, which are essential for mainstreaming these sustainable practices.

IWA Specialist Groups connected with NBS

IWA has several Specialist Groups that promote the use of nature-based solutions, and a specific working grouphas also been set up on Nature-based Solutions for Water and Sanitation.

The Working Group on Nature-based Solutions for Water and Sanitation brings together a diverse group of professionals developing practical guidance on how to more effectively use NBS for wastewater treatment in a way that benefits people as well as nature; and the use of modelling and scientific analysis to understand how implementation of sanitation goals will impact nature. Bringing these two areas together emphasizes the approach of linking science, policy and practice.

To find out the latest on what IWA members and partners are doing on NBS, join the IWA Specialist Groups below or follow the IWA Connect Plus Working group on Nature-Based Solutions.

• Wetlands Systems for Pollution Control
• Rainwater Harvesting and Management
• Wastewater Pond Technology
• Diffuse pollution and eutrophication
• Urban drainage
• Watershed and River Basin Management

Nature for Water: Nature-based Solutions for Water Security

Climate change impacts, such as rising seas, stronger storms, wildfires, heat waves, and floods, are threatening people and ecosystems globally. These challenges are exacerbated by longstanding inequities, placing the greatest burden on communities least responsible for climate change. Governments and businesses often rely on gray infrastructure like levees and dams, but Nature-based Solutions (NbS) offer a cost-effective and sustainable alternative. NbS, such as restoring reefs and wetlands, managing forests, and planting hardier crops, can help communities build resilience to climate change, improve water security, and enhance biodiversity.

Nature for Water (N4W) is an initiative launched by The Nature Conservancy and Pegasys to address global water security challenges using NbS. N4W provides technical assistance, capacity building, and guidance to local partners, supporting the development and scaling of watershed investment programs. With a diverse global team of experts, N4W aims to improve the management of rivers, wetlands, and land areas, benefiting over two million people in the next six years. Through sponsored and fee-based partnerships, GO Fund, and a commitment to learning and impact, N4W helps communities implement NbS projects that protect the environment and enhance climate resilience. Notable projects include the Greater Cape Town Water Fund in South Africa, initiatives in Ghana’s Black Volta River basin, and the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District in the United States.

Milwaukee downtown

Black Volta River basin

Wondering how you can work with Nature for Water? Sign up to be notified about our call for proposals, or email our team cfp@nature4water.org to skip the application process and inquire about fee-for-service opportunities.

Nature for Sanitation

Currently, 2.4 billion people live without sanitation that properly separates them from their biological waste. Additionally, wastewater from 2.1 billion people drains directly into surface waters. Despite improvements over the past decades, the unsafe management of fecal waste and wastewater continues to pose significant risks to public health and the environment.

Natural solutions can play a crucial role in wastewater treatment systems by removing contaminants such as bacteria, heavy metals, and excessive nutrients. These solutions include constructed and natural wetlands, wastewater treatment ponds, soil infiltration systems, green roofs, and vertical gardens.

However, wastewater utility managers often face challenges in incorporating natural infrastructure into their planning. Determining the optimal mix of grey and green infrastructure and selecting the most appropriate types of green infrastructure can be complex. Many professionals, technicians, and regulators hesitate to implement nature-based solutions due to a lack of understanding and control over the mechanisms involved.

The Nature Based Solutions for Wastewater Treatment book serves as a compilation of technical references, case examples and guidance for applying nature-based solutions for the treatment of domestic wastewater, and enables a wide variety of stakeholders to understand the design parameters, removal efficiencies, costs, co-benefits for both people and nature and trade-offs for consideration in their local context. Examples through case studies are from across the globe and provide practical insights into the variety of potentially applicable solutions. Access the full publication via IWA Publishing.

Nature-based Solutions Utility Spotlights

IWA and TNC have developed a publication “Nature for Water: a Series of Utility Spotlights” intended to shed light on the opportunities and challenges facing regulators and water utilities in their efforts to incorporate nature-based solutions into water management.