Guidelines for improved water reuse

The Joint Research Council (JRC) has recently published a report which provides guidelines on implementing water reuse in Europe, and analyses the associated technical, environmental, health and socioeconomic challenges to such reuse.

Water recycling and reuse is one of the answers to the water challenges in the urban, industrial and agricultural contexts; it can help save energy and increase water availability, while providing a viable solution to climate change adaptation. Applications include the irrigation of public parks, fire protection systems, toilet flushing, food crops and industrial cooling water.  Despite the water reuse applications already developed in many European countries, there are still a number of barriers to its widespread implementation.

• In the absence of formal guidelines at European level to address the reuse of treated wastewater, the report compares relevant national and international measures.
• It also provides a risk-based management approach, and identifies needs for and barriers to technological innovation and regulation.
• New regulations should be based on health and environmental protection, and should include treatment goals and adequate and affordable techniques for monitoring water quality.
• The economic viability of water reuse projects is another significant challenge that can be met by appropriate water management policies, as the value of reclaimed water is determined by the use to which it is put.

Source: Joint Research Council

Report Water Reuse in Europe – Relevant guidelines, needs for and barriers to innovation

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