Editorial: Emerging technologies for wastewater treatment and reuse

Over two billion people living across the world are facing high water stress today. Climate change, urbanization, industrialization, bioenergy demands are augmenting the complex relationship between water demand and world development (www.unwater.org). In the upcoming years, the demand for water will increase as food production increases, populations develop and move, industry advances and consumption rises. Unfortunately, a statistic showing that 50% of the world's freshwater reserves are polluted; 80% of wastewater is discharged directly into the natural environment without prior or adequate treatment in developing countries (www.suez.com). Hence, the depletion and contamination in water resources develop concerns on identifying new resources capable of helping in reaching equilibrium within demand and securing resources effectively (Salgot et al. 2018). One of the promising possibilities is wastewater treatment and reuse.