A lot can go wrong in a large urban water system. Pumps malfunction. Valves break. Pipes leak. Even when the system is functioning properly, water can sit in pipes for long periods of time. Water shortages are also a growing problem in a warming world, as communities across the Southwestern U.S. and in many developing nations are discovering.
That’s why cities have started experimenting with small-scale alternatives – including wastewater recycling and localized water treatment strategies known as decentralized or distributed systems.
Almost all water has value and can be cleaned and put to use.
Nature does a great job of cleaning water naturally as it flows through the ground. The soil physically filters water, and chemical and biological processes help strip away contaminants over time.
Read the full article from The Conversation