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NONPOTABLE WATER REUSE MANAGEMENT PRACTICES
Citation:
Mantovani, P., M. AbuOrf, AND T P. O'Connor*. NONPOTABLE WATER REUSE MANAGEMENT PRACTICES. Presented at ASCE World Water & Environmental Resources Congress, Orlando, FL, May 20 - 24, 2001.
Impact/Purpose:
To inform the public.
Description:
Globally, the need for water reuse is increasing due to rising water demands and finite water resources. In addition, certain regulations and policies, such as zero discharge initiatives or limited new dam construction, may indirectly contribute to the need for reuse. Also, with growing public acceptance and familiarity, even water providers without stresses on their water supplies are viewing nonpotable reuse as a possible water management option.
Over the last 30 years many reuse projects have been instituted worldwide. For example, current reuse applications include industrial processes, agricultural irrigation, and urban supply (e.g., toilet flushing, fire protection, landscaping). The WERF conducted a survey of existing nonpotable water reuse suppliers to attempt to determine the best planning and management practices available. A total of 65 projects were surveyed, including 40 in the US and 25 outside US. Planning and management issues that were addressed included: structure of the reuse agency, marketing, developing public acceptance, permitting requirements, economics, usage restrictions, liability legal, and funding.
One of the driving factors for the survey was to understand what makes a successful wastewater reuse project. Although there is always the need when dealing with any nonpotable supply to manage health risk and to address emerging potential risk (e.g. salinity concerns, disinfection byproducts), nonpotable water reuse is technically feasible and the greatest hurdles appear to come from a management perspective.
Responses to the survey indicate that there are several issues that planners should address. More planning and marketing are required for reuse projects, especially if the managers for those new projects plan to attain cost recovery (for many of the respondents to the survey, this was not the primary driver to initiate water reuse projects). There is a need for a thorough economic analysis that accounts for all the needs of the service community and properly weighs cost and benefits, e.g., taking into account the decreased potable water revenues in lieu of nonpotable water supplies. Other concerns include marketing for wider public acceptance, working with local officials to support legislation for expanding nonpotable users and uses, and increases in the quality of the nonpotable supply through advanced treatment. The paper will present an overview of the survey and the results.