Recovery of Value-added Materials from Wastewater: Developments, Challenges, and Opportunities in Developing Countries

Continuous population growth has led to the incessant generation of wastewater, thereby putting pressure on the limited fresh water and water resources globally. To assuage this issue, an alternative route for recovering resources from generated wastewater should be sought. The only sustainable option left is the concept of a circular economy in which resources can be recovered from wastewater and then be channeled to other processes such that waste is eliminated in a value chain. Recently, resource recovery from waste materials to attain a circular economy has gained wide attention in the research community since the Earth's limited resources are being depleted, and if adequate care is not taken, attaining sustainable development in the future will be difficult. Several resources including energy, reusable water for irrigation purposes, biosolids, and other value-added materials can be recovered from wastewater. All these materials present both economic and environmental benefits in the water and sanitation sectors and, in that way, lead to sustainability in the water and wastewater sectors. This chapter aims to highlight the recent progress made in the water supply and sanitation sectors with regard to the concept of a circular economy, the various value-added materials that can be recovered from wastewater and their potential applications, the challenges associated with water and wastewater projects, and the diverse opportunities that accrue from effective wastewater management.