Water reclamation and reuse: implementation and management issues

In the framework of the international project “Integrated Concepts for Water Reuse” (Aquarec), an independent task-force composed by water and wastewater utilities professionals, consultants and researchers was assigned the task and produced a manual of management practices for water reuse schemes. This paper aims to give an overview of water reuse activities around the world and to outline the specific characteristics of every sectoral use. The paper shows that consolidated experience exists with technology and management practices and that effective and practicable management practices should include a combination of structural, non-structural and managerial techniques. Finally, some critical factors that influence to a large extent the project’s potential sustainability are delineated.

In Europe, the water resources management field is at a crossroads as the implementation of the Water Framework Directive unfolds and prepares the field for a more integrated water cycle management at the river basin level. Planned water reuse for non-potable uses is a strategy that is gaining wider acceptance and rapidly expanding. The possibilities offered by water reclamation and reuse complement very many of the conventional water uses. Switching from conventional water resources to reclaimed wastewater is primarily hindered by cost arguments. This would demand the establishment of water prices that reflect the full-cost recovery principle on the one hand, and the monetarisation of the environmental and social benefits of water reuse, on the other. In addition to “top-down” reforms, any lasting solution will require commensurate “bottomup” reforms, including an increased awareness of the anthropogenic water cycle and the consequences of the viable water management options to the water cycle. These are the two interlinked prerequisites of change on a global scale. Finally, we would emphasise the importance of best management practice to promote water reuse projects. There is a need to focus on the reliable operation of all aspects of the scheme and not only rely on over-engineered systems and over-specified regulations. The Aquarec manual on best management practices provides a single source of information on commonly used or applicable management practices in implementing and operating water reuse schemes. We hope that this information will open up new possibilities for public institutions and the water industry to include appropriate water reuse solutions as part of their Integrated Water Resources Management planning.