What is one major environmental benefit of treating and recycling water?

Treating and recycling water plays a crucial role in environmental sustainability, particularly through the conservation of freshwater resources. When wastewater is treated and reused, it reduces the demand on natural freshwater supplies, which are often limited and under significant stress from human activities such as agriculture, industry, and urban development. This practice not only helps protect ecosystems and maintain biodiversity by preserving freshwater habitats but also mitigates the impacts of droughts and water scarcity situations.

By recycling water, communities can create a more resilient water supply system, diminishing the need to extract more freshwater from rivers, lakes, and aquifers. This contributes to long-term water security and enables better management of water resources in the face of growing populations and climate changes that threaten traditional water sources.

In contrast, other options such as increased waterborne diseases, higher operational costs, and increased reliance on bottled water are not benefits of water recycling. In fact, proper treatment of water can lead to a reduction in waterborne diseases by ensuring that the water is safe for consumption and use. Furthermore, while there may be some initial capital investment associated with setting up water recycling systems, the long-term operational costs often become more favorable, and reliance on bottled water typically decreases as people utilize treated recycled water instead.