Environmental Technology, Wageningen University and Research, P.O. Box 17, 6700AA, Wageningen, the Netherlands.
Environmental Technology, Wageningen University and Research, P.O. Box 17, 6700AA, Wageningen, the Netherlands.
J Environ Manage. 2021 Apr 1;283:111974. doi: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2021.111974. Epub 2021 Feb 4.
The indirect, unplanned use of urban wastewater by peri-urban farmers in developing countries poses a severe risk to the environment and the farmers. Planned water reuse could contribute substantially to the irrigation water demand in peri-urban agriculture and minimize the risk. However, implementing such practice requires a thorough evaluation of stakeholder's perception and the scope within the existing organizational structures. This paper aims to assess the level of awareness, perception, and willingness of different stakeholders toward current practices and the prospect of urban water reuse in Khulna City - one of the most vulnerable cities located in the southwest of Bangladesh due to the consequences of rapid climate changes in the Bengal delta. Also, institutional arrangements and their functioning were analyzed to understand the current sectoral performance. One questionnaire with 385 respondents from the urban area, 32 in-depth interviews and one focus group discussion with farmers in the peri-urban area, and ten interviews with key informants from the government and non-government organization was conducted. Results indicate an overall positive attitude among major stakeholder groups toward planned water reuse for peri-urban agriculture. More than half of the citizens (53%) are willing to pay for the treatment of wastewater and majority of the farmers (66%) are willing to pay for the supply of better-quality irrigation water. However, the public sector responsible for wastewater collection and treatment requires adjustment in rules and regulations to implement planned water reuse. Interrelated factors such as lack of transparency and coordination, shifting responsibilities to other organizations, lack of required resources need to be addressed in the updated rules and regulations. Strategies to enforce current regulations and align all stakeholders are also crucial for collection and treatment of wastewater and its subsequent use for crop production.
发展中国家城郊农民间接、非计划性使用城市污水，对环境和农民构成严重风险。有计划的水再利用可以大大满足城郊农业的灌溉用水需求，并将风险降至最低。然而，实施这种做法需要彻底评估利益相关者的看法以及现有组织结构内的范围。本文旨在评估不同利益相关者对当前做法的认识、看法和意愿，以及在孟加拉国西南部的库尔纳市实施城市污水再利用的前景，库尔纳市由于孟加拉三角洲快速气候变化的后果，是最脆弱的城市之一。此外，还分析了体制安排及其运作情况，以了解当前的部门绩效。在城市地区进行了一项有 385 名受访者的问卷调查、对 32 名城郊农民进行了深入访谈和一次焦点小组讨论、以及对政府和非政府组织的 10 名关键信息提供者进行了访谈。结果表明，主要利益相关者群体对计划用于城郊农业的污水再利用持总体积极态度。超过一半的市民（53%）愿意为污水的处理付费，大多数农民（66%）愿意为供应更好质量的灌溉水付费。然而，负责污水收集和处理的公共部门需要调整规则和法规以实施计划中的污水再利用。缺乏透明度和协调、责任转移给其他组织以及缺乏所需资源等相关因素需要在更新的规则和法规中得到解决。执行现行法规和协调所有利益相关者的策略，对于污水的收集和处理及其随后用于作物生产也至关重要。
