What's up with recycled wastewater's PR problem?

Short Wave

NPR

News, Life Sciences, Astronomy, Daily News, Nature, Science

4.7 • 6.5K Ratings

🗓️ 27 March 2026

⏱️ 14 minutes

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Summary

Would you drink recycled wastewater? It could be a solution to the global water crisis. But not everyone is ready to jump onboard. They say it’s not technology that’s keeping more cities from recycling their wastewater, but psychology. Experts call this resistance “the yuck factor.” We chat with water journalist Peter Annin about some history behind water recycling – and why more cities could adopt the solution soon.

This is part of a whole series on the world’s dwindling water supply. Check out the rest of the water series:
Part 1: When the wells run dry
Part 2: The world’s groundwater problem
Part 3: Freshwater’s growing salt problem

Email us your questions about water, the wider environment – or anything else to do with science at shortwave@npr.org. We may turn it into an episode in the future!

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This episode was produced by Rachel Carlson. It was edited by Rebecca Ramirez. Aru Nair checked the facts. The audio engineer was Jimmy Keeley.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	You're listening to Shortwave from NPR.
0:05.8	Hey, Shorewavers, Regina Barber here with producer Rachel Carlson.
0:09.5	Hi, Gina.
0:10.6	Okay, I'm really excited because, as you know, we've been talking about water this week.
0:16.1	Yes, I am aware.
0:17.7	As part of this last episode in the series, I am making you do an experiment with me.
0:23.1	I love science experiments. I'm so excited. I have our intern, Arru Nair, who is going to bring you
0:30.3	the experimental object, I guess we'll call it. Yeah, Aru's right here. I see their face just so mischievous.
0:38.8	It's just a glass of water.
0:40.7	Oh, I know.
0:41.3	Oh, there's something in the water.
0:42.5	What is in the water?
0:43.7	Describe it.
0:44.7	It's a cockroach.
0:46.1	It's a cockroach.
0:47.0	I mailed like 20 of them to Arou.
0:49.6	But I have a glass of water that also has a plastic cockroach in it.
0:54.9	So it is fake.
0:55.6	Okay, okay.
0:56.2	It's fake.
0:56.8	Sorry, I should have said that first.
0:58.1	I had this, like, visceral reaction.
	...

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