Integrated Water Resource Management — through reuse and aquifer recharge

Increased water demand from population and economic growth, environmental needs, change in rainfall, flood contamination of good quality water and over abstraction of groundwater are all factors that will continue to create water shortage problems. This paper considers alternative solutions, which conform to sustainable solution premises whilst being economically beneficial to the community. Case studies are described that demonstrate the solutions including the benefits of proven hydrogeological expertise, water resource management in very poor developing regions, cash crop production by reusing brackish municipal wastewater and aquifer recharge for saline ingress and indirect potable use.

Integrated water resource management needs a holistic long-term approach. This must be supported by legislation, agreed quality standards and international finance to enable projects to take place. This is helped where one government water agency is responsible for all water resource issues — ranging from fresh water to wastewater treatment — rather than separate regulators responsible for a single part of the total solution. The only solutions to water shortage are: to maximise the efficiency of water management, reuse, desalinate or import. The increasing global experience in large high efficiency systems is continually reducing the production costs. The cost of power, finance, equipment and membranes are the key to maximising the opportunity for sustainable projects. This is where hybrid systems can provide a real benefit by taking advantage of the process synergy between power generation, desalination, reuse and aquifer recharge in one system. These innovative solutions enable coastal cities to move rapidly towards Integrated Water Resource Management.