Water Economics and Politics Seminar Series
/ Water and health
Speaker: Prof. Manzoor Qadir | Deputy Director: United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment and Health (UNU-INWEH), Canada
Time: 15:00 South African Standard Time (SAST) | GMT +2
Topic: The potential health and environmental impact of a range of pollutants in urban wastewater warrants their removal through increased wastewater treatment capacity and efficiency. However, removing such pollutants from wastewater remains limited, affecting freshwater ecosystems and drinking water quality. Fit-for-purpose use of treated wastewater provides an alternative water supply, easing pressure on high-quality water resources. Despite long-term research and practice, implementing effective and environmentally acceptable wastewater treatment and reuse strategies remains challenging. This presentation provides insights into the status of wastewater treatment across the world and offers potential options for promoting and implementing adequate wastewater treatment opportunities.
About the speaker: Manzoor Qadir is an environmental scientist with over 30 years of experience working on water-related sustainable development through contributions to policy, institutional, and technical aspects of unconventional water resources, wastewater-related resource recovery and safe reuse, water quality and environmental health, salt-induced land degradation assessment and rehabilitation, and water and food security under changing climate. Manzoor has implemented multidisciplinary projects with significant capacity development and knowledge-sharing components in the Middle East, North Africa, Central Asia, South Asia, and sub-Saharan Africa. At the United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment and Health (UNU-INWEH), Manzoor leads global projects that promote unconventional water resources and technologies for water-scarce areas and accelerate the implementation of water-related Social Development Goals (SDGs). Manzoor has contributed to major international research consortia and initiatives, including the Comprehensive Assessment of Water Management in Agriculture; International Assessment of Agricultural Science and Technology for Development; Global Wastewater Initiative, UN-Water Task Force on Unconventional Water Resources, and SDG 6 Synthesis Report on Water and Sanitation. He has authored over 200 peer-reviewed science and policy-relevant publications. More: Manzoor Qadir on Google Scholar.