Co-development of an integrated assessment framework to evaluate the effectiveness and impact of selected nature-based water treatment technologies in Sri Lanka, The Philippines, and Vietnam

Environ Qual Manage. 2022;1–31

Authors: Veeriah Jegatheesan1, Nevelina Pachova2, Perlie Velasco3, Mohamed Ismail Mohammed Mowjood4, Sujithra Kaushaliya Weragoda5, Madhubhashini Makehelwala5, Ngo Thuy Diem Trang6, Bao-Trong Dang7,8, Cong-Sac Tran8,9, Thi-Kim-Quyen Vo10 , Nguyen Thi Thu Trang11 ,  Huy Pham11, Ma. Catriona Devanadera12,13, Antonina Torrens14, Xuan-Thanh Bui8,9, Phuoc-Dan Nguyen8,9,15, Amy Lecciones14, Kristhombu Baduge Shameen Nishantha Jinadasa16 

1. School of Engineering and Water: Effective Technologies and Tools (WETT) Research Centre, RMIT University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

2. RMIT Europe, Barcelona, Spain

3. Department of Civil Engineering, College of Engineering and Agro-Industrial Technology, University of the Philippines – Los Baños, Laguna, Philippines

4. Department of Agricultural Engineering, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka

5. Joint Research & Demonstration Centre (JRDC), University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka

6. Department of Environmental Sciences, College of Environment and Natural Resources, Can Tho University, Can Tho, Vietnam

7. Faculty of Chemical Engineering, Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology (HCMUT), Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

8. Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City (VNU-HCM), Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

9. Key Laboratory of Advanced Waste Treatment Technology, Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology (HCMUT), Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

10. Faculty of Biology and Environment, Ho Chi Minh City University of Food Industry (HUFI), HCM City, Vietnam

11. School of Business and Management, RMIT University, Vietnam

12. Department of Community and Environmental Resource Planning, College of Human Ecology, University of the Philippines – Los Baños, Laguna, Philippines

13. Society for the Conservation of Philippine Wetlands, Inc., Pasig City, Philippines

14. Department of Biology, Healthcare and Environment, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain

15. Asian Center for Water Research (CARE) & Faculty of Civil Engineering, Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology (HCMUT), Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

16. Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka

Accepted: 15 September 2022

Abstract. Water quality is a critical challenge in Asia in the context of growing industrialization, urbanization, and climate change. Nature-based solutions (NbS) could play an important role in reducing urban water pollution, while generating multiple cobenefits that could make cities more liveable and resilient. In this regard, a number of pilot and demonstration projects have been set up to explore their potential across cities in Asia. Their effectiveness and impacts, however, have not been adequately documented, thus how they can be sustained, replicated and up-scaled remain poorly understood.

This study aims to contribute to addressing this challenge by co-developing an integrated assessment framework and employing it to understand how existing evaluations of NbS in the region can be improved. It focuses specifically on a set of nature-based solutions that have been employed for water treatment across six cities in Southeast Asia (two in each Sri Lanka, the Philippines, and Vietnam), namely, floating wetlands, constructed wetlands and maturation ponds. The study also suggests specific methodologies for capturing a set of core indicators considered relevant for assessing the effectiveness and capturing the multi-faceted impacts of the examined NbS.