Author(s)

JUAN M. FORNÉS, MARIBEL AGUILAR-AGUILAR, SEBASTIÁN SUÁREZ-ZAMORA, GRICELDA HERRERA-FRANCO

Abstract

Wastewater management is a significant challenge in Latin America, particularly in rural areas and island territories, where the implementation of conventional sanitation systems is often limited. In this context, nature-based solutions (NbS), such as green filters, have emerged as sustainable solutions for wastewater treatment through low-impact ecological processes. However, NbS implementation is scarce or non-existent in many Latin American countries due to limited technical training, inadequate environmental plans and ineffective public sanitation policies. This study aims to expose the potential of green filters as a wastewater management strategy in Latin America through a continuing education approach that seeks to strengthen the technical capacities of water resource managers. The methodological process included three phases: (i) the sanitation context in Latin America; (ii) a technical analysis of the advantages and disadvantages of green filter design based on experiences gathered from Latin American countries; and (iii) strategies for implementing green filters through a strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) analysis. Despite the limited use of green filters in the region, this study demonstrates the value of tertiary treatment techniques as resilient, low-cost, and highly adaptable solutions in environments with limited water resources. These types of ecological strategies, when properly designed and supported by sustainable regulatory frameworks, contribute to global water resilience and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. This study contributes to the integration of scientific evidence and strategic analysis, thereby strengthening the decision-making processes in wastewater management.

Keywords

decentralized sanitation, resilient infrastructure, sustainable wastewater technologies, rural wastewater treatment, sustainability