Water that has been used in agriculture, industry or the home is an untapped resource that can help address growing water scarcity.

That’s the premise of the latest World Water Development Report launched this Wednesday in Durban, South Africa.

It looks at how wastewater, including water used for washing dishes or even to flush the toilet, can be recycled or processed to extract nutrients that can be used as fertilizer, or to generate energy.

Stefan Uhlenbrook is coordinator and director at the World Water Assessment Programme, the UN body that publishes the annual study.

He spoke to Dianne Penn about the “huge potential” wastewater offers, and the need to overcome what he described as the “yuck factor” surrounding it.

Duration: 4’35”