Water/Wastewater Quality; Soil Engineering Property; Measurements of Groundwater Levels; Measurements of Discharges of Springs and Images/Figures on Use/Reuse of Different Water Sources for Urban Agriculture and Environmental Management, 2021-2023.

Water and sanitation is one of the major challenges in rapidly urbanizing urban areas in the Global South such as Ethiopia. This study was carried out to understand the water and sanitation conditions and identify opportunities for reuse/circularity in the rapidly urbanizing and conflict affected towns in Tigray, Ethiopia. This research work involved: (a) review and synthesis of previous studies, (b) field and laboratory investigations (water, faecal sludge, and soil), (c) assessments of the status of existing water and sanitation services, (d) participatory assessments of water and sanitation issues, and (f) identification of opportunities for reuse/circularity. Results of our study revealed that water and sanitation remains a major challenge due to multiple inter-related factors: (i) damage and lack of maintenance of water and sanitation facilities, (ii) open defecation, and dumping of liquid and solid waste into open spaces, surface waters and drainage systems, (iii) weakening of government institutions, and (iv) lack of awareness on health risks with poor waste management. In order to promote sustainable waste management (with circularity) in the study towns there is a need to: (a) properly understand the dynamic interactions of water, waste, infrastructure, natural environment and human in urban settings, (b) identify and support multi-dimensional circular economy opportunities, and (c) develop and implement appropriate policies, strategies, and regulatory frameworks integrated with awareness creation, capacity buildings and local innovations.