Sustainability Hub: SDG6 – Clean Water and Sanitation

Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE)

31 Jan 202202:23

Summary

TLDRChemical engineers play a pivotal role in achieving Sustainable Development Goal 6 by developing bankable projects and innovative technologies for water quality improvement and sanitation. They focus on sustainable and efficient designs, reducing power and chemical use, and integrating digital twins and AI. The script emphasizes the importance of community involvement, especially indigenous communities, in water management. The future envisions more affordable clean water through advanced membrane processes, less energy-intensive wastewater treatment, and a holistic approach to the food-water-energy nexus, taking inspiration from global best practices like Singapore.

Takeaways

💧 Ensuring sustainable management of water and sanitation is the core goal of SDG 6.
🔬 Chemical engineers can significantly impact SDG 6 through developing finance for technical projects in developing countries.
🌊 Research and development of new technologies, such as membranes and biological processes, improve water quality.
🛠️ Using technical knowledge linked to public health protection and productivity gains is crucial.
⚙️ Ensuring sustainable and efficient designs by understanding chemical processes and mass balances is essential.
🔋 Emphasizing low power and low chemical solutions during operation phases is important.
🤖 Moving towards digital twin and AI approaches to enhance water management.
🌱 Cutting carbon not only cuts costs but also promotes value engineering and sustainability.
🌏 Integrated water resource management and community involvement are key to protecting water ecosystems.
🗣️ Including indigenous communities in water management processes ensures their voices are heard and respected.
💡 Future technologies should make clean water provision more affordable, especially through membrane processes.
♻️ Wastewater treatment will become less energy-intensive and will focus on creating products from wastewater.
🌐 Advanced practices, like those in Singapore, serve as global best practices for water management.

Q & A

What is the primary goal of Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG-6)?
-The primary goal of SDG-6 is to ensure the availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.
How can chemical engineers contribute to achieving SDG-6?
-Chemical engineers can contribute by developing finance for technical or bankable projects in developing countries, researching and developing new technologies to improve water quality, and using their technical knowledge to ensure sustainable and efficient designs.
What are some examples of new technologies that can improve water quality mentioned in the script?
-Examples include advancements in membrane technology and biological processes for wastewater treatment.
What is the significance of using chemical processes and mass balances in design?
-Using chemical processes and mass balances ensures that designs are sustainable and efficient in terms of size, materials used, and operational phases, reducing power and chemical consumption.
How are digital twin and AI approaches being utilized in water management?
-Digital twin and AI approaches are being used to optimize and enhance the efficiency of water management systems, making them more sustainable.
Why is it important to consider carbon reduction in water management projects?
-Cutting carbon not only reduces costs but also creates a change in the way we view value engineering and contributes to a more sustainable future.
What role do indigenous communities play in water management and protection?
-Indigenous communities often hold a deep cultural connection to water systems and are included in consenting or licensing processes to ensure their voice is heard and respected, contributing to a better and more sustainable future.
How are integrated water resource management practices contributing to ecosystem protection?
-Integrated water resource management practices aim to protect or restore water-related ecosystems and involve the community in decision-making processes, promoting a holistic approach to water management.
What is the significance of the 'food-water-energy nexus' in the context of sustainable development?
-The food-water-energy nexus represents the interconnected nature of these resources, emphasizing the need for a coordinated approach to manage them sustainably and efficiently.
What examples of advanced water management practices are mentioned in the script?
-The script mentions Singapore as an example of a country that has implemented advanced practices in water management, such as creating products from wastewater.
What does the future of clean water provision look like according to the script?
-The script suggests that the future will involve more affordable clean water provision through technologies like membrane processes, less energy-intensive wastewater treatment, better understanding of nitrous oxide emissions, and the creation of products from wastewater.

Outlines

00:00

💧 SDG-6 and Chemical Engineering's Role

The first paragraph discusses the importance of Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG-6), which aims to ensure the availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all. It highlights the role of chemical engineers in achieving this goal by developing financial and technical solutions for bankable projects in developing countries. The paragraph emphasizes the need for research and development in new technologies to improve water quality, such as advanced membranes and biological processes for wastewater treatment. It also stresses the importance of using chemical process understanding for sustainable and efficient design, including the use of digital twin and AI approaches. The paragraph concludes with the notion that chemical engineers have a responsibility to ensure indigenous communities' voices are heard and respected in water management, and to learn from the past to implement a more sustainable future.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Sustainable Development Goal 6

Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG-6) is one of the 17 global goals set by the United Nations, aiming to ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all. In the video, it is highlighted as the primary focus for chemical engineers to make a positive impact, emphasizing the importance of clean water and sanitation as a fundamental human right and a crucial part of sustainable development.

💡Chemical Engineers

Chemical engineers are professionals who apply the principles of chemistry, biology, physics, and math to solve problems related to the production or use of chemicals, materials, and energy. In the context of the video, they are positioned as key contributors to achieving SDG-6 by developing technologies and projects that improve water quality and sanitation systems, especially in developing countries.

💡Bankable Projects

Bankable projects refer to initiatives that are financially viable and can secure funding from banks or financial institutions. The script mentions that chemical engineers can develop such projects for developing countries, which are crucial for implementing sustainable water and sanitation solutions.

💡Research and Development

Research and development (R&D) involves creating new knowledge or improving existing knowledge through scientific research and technological innovation. The video underscores the role of R&D in advancing water treatment technologies, such as membranes and biological processes, which are essential for improving water quality.

💡Membrane Processes

Membrane processes are a type of filtration technique used in water treatment, where a semipermeable membrane separates water from contaminants. The script cites membrane processes as an example of technology that could make the provision of clean water more affordable and efficient in the future.

💡Wastewater Treatment

Wastewater treatment is the process of removing contaminants from wastewater, primarily from household sewage and industrial effluents, to produce an effluent that can be safely returned to the environment. The video discusses advances in this area, including less energy-intensive processes and better understanding of nitrous oxide emissions.

💡Digital Twin

A digital twin is a virtual model of a physical system or process that can be used to simulate and analyze the system's performance. The script mentions the push towards digital twin and AI approaches in the context of water management, suggesting the use of such technologies for optimizing and improving the efficiency of water systems.

💡Carbon Footprint

The carbon footprint refers to the total amount of greenhouse gases, primarily carbon dioxide, emitted directly or indirectly by human activities. The video script implies that by reducing the carbon footprint in water treatment processes, costs can be cut, and a more sustainable future can be created.

💡Indigenous Communities

Indigenous communities are groups that are native to a particular region and have a historical continuity with pre-invasion or pre-colonial societies. The video script highlights the importance of including these communities in water management decisions, as they often hold valuable traditional knowledge and practices related to water systems.

💡Integrated Water Resource Management

Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM) is a process that promotes the coordinated development and management of water, land, and related resources, in order to maximize economic and social welfare in an equitable manner without compromising the sustainability of vital ecosystems. The script mentions IWRM as an approach to protect and restore water-related ecosystems and involve the community in decision-making.

💡Food-Water-Energy Nexus

The food-water-energy nexus refers to the interconnected nature of food production, water availability, and energy generation, which are all essential for sustainable development. The video script points to the creation of products from wastewater as an example of how this nexus can be managed more sustainably, with Singapore being cited as a global best practice.

Highlights

Sustainable Development Goal 6 aims to ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.

Chemical engineers can impact SDG-6 by developing finance for technical or bankable projects in developing countries.

Research and development of new technologies to improve water quality is crucial, such as membranes and advances in biological processes for wastewater treatment.

Chemical engineers should use their understanding of chemical processes and mass balances to ensure sustainable and efficient designs.

Efficiency in design and operation phases includes minimizing the use of power and chemicals.

Digital twin and AI approaches are being pushed for more sustainable and efficient water management.

Cutting carbon emissions can reduce costs and create a more sustainable future.

Integrated water resource management and community involvement are essential for sustainable water systems.

Indigenous communities often hold water systems within their cultural stories and are included in decision-making processes.

Chemical engineers have a responsibility to ensure indigenous voices are heard and respected in water management.

Technology advancements are expected to make clean water provision more affordable, especially through membrane processes.

Wastewater treatment processes are predicted to become less energy intensive and more efficient.

Understanding and managing nitrous oxide emissions from wastewater treatment will be improved.

Creating products from wastewater is part of the emerging food-water-energy nexus.

Singapore serves as a global best practice example for advanced water management strategies.

The future of water management will likely involve more sustainable and efficient technologies, with a focus on community involvement and cultural respect.