A recent study by Ogbu et al. (2025) titled “Towards environmentally sustainable water management in Africa: a comprehensive review of life cycle assessment studies in water and wastewater treatment” published in The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment by Springer Nature reveals that LCA studies on W&WWT in Africa are concentrated in few countries, with global warming potential as the dominant impact due to fossil fuels.
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Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) studies on water and wastewater treatment in Africa are limited, with global warming potential driven by fossil fuel-based electricity as the dominant environmental impact.– Ogbu et al. 2025
Water and wastewater treatment (W&WWT) are essential for sustainable development, yet their environmental impacts in Africa remain underexplored. A study published in The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment provides a comprehensive evaluation of these impacts using the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology. By analyzing energy consumption, material use, and emissions across different water management systems, the review identifies key trends, challenges, and opportunities for improving sustainability in the sector.
The study systematically reviews 41 original studies covering 131 scenarios that apply the ISO 14040/14044 LCA framework to W&WWT in Africa. Research is primarily concentrated in South Africa and Egypt, with limited representation from countries like Nigeria and Tunisia. Urban wastewater treatment is the most studied, while industrial and domestic wastewater treatment receive less attention, and water treatment studies are even scarcer. The ReCiPe and CML methodologies are the most commonly used for impact assessment, revealing that global warming potential and fossil fuel-based electricity generation are major environmental burdens.
Key challenges include limited data availability, insufficient renewable energy integration, and a lack of material recovery efforts. Addressing these gaps is crucial for mitigating the sector’s environmental footprint. The review emphasizes the importance of incorporating LCA into engineering design, policy-making, and stakeholder engagement to drive sustainable water management. It calls for enhanced research, the establishment of performance standards, and the promotion of green innovations to foster environmentally responsible W&WWT practices across Africa.
How the Study was Conducted
This study conducted a systematic review of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) studies on water and wastewater treatment (W&WWT) in Africa. Using the STARR-LCA checklist and PRISMA protocol, relevant articles were sourced from Web of Science, Scopus, and Google Scholar until October 10, 2024.
The initial search identified 296 articles, which were filtered down to 41 studies covering 131 scenarios through a rigorous screening process. Studies were included if they applied the ISO 14040/14044 LCA methodology, assessed W&WWT processes with multiple impact categories, and considered resource recovery.
Data extraction was performed using Covidence software, focusing on technical parameters (e.g., influent and effluent properties, treatment technology efficiency), methodological choices (e.g., system boundaries, LCIA methods, software used), and study typology (e.g., publication year, geographic distribution). The analysis revealed that most studies originated from South Africa and Egypt, emphasizing regional research trends in LCA-based sustainable water management.
What the Authors Found
The study highlights that Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) studies on water and wastewater treatment (W&WWT) in Africa are concentrated in a few countries, particularly South Africa and Egypt, while many other regions remain underrepresented. Additionally, it identifies global warming potential as the most significant environmental impact, largely driven by fossil fuel-based electricity use.
Why is this important?
1. Environmental Impact
Water and wastewater treatment processes have significant environmental impacts. By using the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology, this study identifies the various environmental burdens, such as energy consumption, emissions, and resource depletion, associated with these processes. Understanding these impacts is crucial for developing strategies to mitigate negative effects and promote more sustainable practices.
2. Water Scarcity
Africa faces severe water scarcity issues exacerbated by population growth, urbanization, and climate change. Efficient and sustainable water management is essential for ensuring access to clean water for all. This study highlights the need for improved water treatment and management practices to address water scarcity challenges.
3. Policy Development
The study’s findings provide valuable insights for policymakers and stakeholders. By identifying gaps in data acquisition, renewable energy use, and resource recovery, the study offers concrete recommendations for policy development aimed at promoting sustainable water and wastewater treatment practices.
4. Resource Recovery
The potential for resource recovery from wastewater treatment processes is an emerging area of interest. This study emphasizes the importance of recovering valuable resources such as nutrients and biosolids, which can be reused in agriculture and other applications. This contributes to a circular economy and reduces the environmental footprint of treatment processes.
5. Economic Benefits
Sustainable water management practices can lead to economic benefits by reducing operational costs, increasing resource efficiency, and promoting innovation in the water sector. The study’s recommendations can help guide investments in green technologies and infrastructure, fostering economic growth and resilience.
6. Public Health
Proper treatment of water and wastewater is essential for safeguarding public health. By identifying the environmental impacts of different treatment processes, the study helps ensure that these processes do not inadvertently harm human health through pollution or contamination.
7. Global Relevance
While the study focuses on Africa, its findings have global relevance. Water scarcity and environmental sustainability are universal challenges, and the insights gained from this study can be applied to other regions facing similar issues. It also contributes to the global body of knowledge on sustainable water management.
What the Authors Recommended
- There’s a critical need to enhance data acquisition and storage systems to better understand the environmental impacts of water and wastewater treatment. Accurate data is essential for comprehensive Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) studies.
- The study advocates for integrating renewable energy sources into water and wastewater treatment processes to reduce reliance on fossil fuels and mitigate adverse environmental impacts. This includes exploring solar, wind, and other renewable energy technologies.
- Encouraging the recovery of valuable resources, such as nutrients and biosolids, from wastewater treatment processes is highlighted as a crucial step toward sustainability. This can contribute to a circular economy and reduce the environmental footprint of treatment facilities.
- The authors emphasize the importance of involving stakeholders, including government agencies, industry players, and local communities, in the LCA process. Collaborative efforts can lead to better-informed decisions and more effective implementation of sustainable practices.
- Incorporating LCA methodologies into the design and planning of water and wastewater treatment systems can help identify potential environmental impacts early on and optimize the sustainability of these systems.
- The study calls for the development and enforcement of performance standards for green innovations in the water and wastewater sectors. These standards can guide the adoption of best practices and technologies that minimize environmental impacts.
- Future research and policy development should focus on creating supportive frameworks that encourage sustainable water and wastewater treatment practices. Policies should address data collection, renewable energy integration, resource recovery, and stakeholder engagement.
In conclusion, the study underscores the urgent need for sustainable water and wastewater treatment (W&WWT) practices in Africa. With global warming potential driven by fossil fuel dependence as a major environmental concern, integrating renewable energy, enhancing data acquisition, and promoting resource recovery are key steps toward reducing the sector’s footprint. Policymakers, researchers, and industry stakeholders must collaborate to implement green innovations, establish performance standards, and drive investment in sustainable water management solutions. By addressing these challenges, Africa can move toward a more resilient and environmentally responsible approach to water treatment, benefiting both people and the planet.
Cite this article as (APA format):
AR Managing Editor (2025). Life Cycle Assessment of Water & Wastewater Treatment in Africa: Environmental Impacts, Challenges & Sustainable Solutions. Retrieved from https://www.africanresearchers.org/life-cycle-assessment-of-water-wastewater-treatment-in-africa-environmental-impacts-challenges-sustainable-solutions/
The African Research (AR) Index is a comprehensive scholarly directory and database focused explicitly on journal publishers that publish and disseminate African research.
