Wastewater treatment and reuse: A viable answer to shortages in Venezuela?

People use plastic containers to obtain water from a well on a street in Maraciabo, Venezuela, on 12 July 2022. EFE/Henry Chirinos

A man uses a plastic container to draw water from a well on a street in Maracibo, Venezuela, on 12 July 2022. EFE/Henry Chirinos

Augusto Gonzalez and his wife, Adalis Flores, draw water from a well to wash clothes and shower on 12 July 2022 in Caracas, Venezuela. EFE/Miguel Gutierrez

Water shortages are a fact of life for many Venezuelans, who only had access to that essential resource 57.2 hours per week on average in the first half of 2022.

Those shortfalls also are forcing experts to scramble to come up with viable solutions, whether that entails repairs to water distribution systems or the treatment and reuse of wastewater.