Services provided by forests, mangroves and other ecosystems should be taken into account when managing water use, says a new report from UNEP. A broader view of water productivity will be needed if demands on water resources are to be met, and global food security ensured, argues the study.

What is wastewater, and why treat it?

We consider wastewater treatment as a water use because it is so interconnected with the other uses of water. Much of the water used by homes, industries, and businesses must be treated before it is released back to the environment.

If the term "wastewater treatment" is confusing to you, you might think of it as "sewage treatment." Nature has an amazing ability to cope with small amounts of water wastes and pollution, but it would be overwhelmed if we didn't treat the billions of gallons of wastewater and sewage produced every day before releasing it back to the environment. Treatment plants reduce pollutants in wastewater to a level nature can handle.