Despite increasing policy attention to circular economy strategies, resource recovery in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) remains limited, raising concerns about the effectiveness of circular transitions in water systems. Using a systematic literature review of 34 peer-reviewed studies from 2015 to 2026, this study examines the key enablers and barriers to circular economy–based resource recovery in WWTPs. The analysis identifies 20 barriers and 17 enablers, grouped into four clusters. The findings reveal that the topmost barriers faced by WWTPs are a lack of appropriate skill and training related to the use of advanced technology for resource recovery from wastewater. When it comes to enablers, factors such as innovative technological advancements in recent times and a strong motivation towards environmental protection drive WWTPs to implement circular resource recovery practices. The study further incorporated a case study analysis in order to identify several context-specific strategies for successful circular water recovery practices by the WWTPs.
Mishra et al. (Wed,) studied this question.