Insights into Global Water Reuse Opportunities

Abstract

The growing population, intensified anthropogenic pressures and climate variability have increased the demands on available water resources, and water reuse has become a high priority, particularly in areas of the world suffering from water stress. The main objectives of this review paper are to consider and identify the potential opportunities and challenges in the implementation of water reuse schemes worldwide by considering and analyzing different fields of interest in water reuse, the current and future global drivers of water reuse policies, the existing advances in treatment and reuse technologies promising elimination of environmental footprint and human health risk, an analysis of the trends in potable and non-potable reuse, and the development of quality criteria and issues related to transition circular economy. Moreover, the major knowledge gaps in critical issues on different domains of water reuse schemes are discussed. For this study, a thorough analysis of the current literature was conducted, using research and review articles, technical reports, specific national (and EU) proposals, guidance documents, and legislative initiatives and actions, as well as any validly disseminated findings by scientists around the world in the wider scientific area of (alternative) water resources, water supply, water management, sustainable development, and protection of public health. Water reuse practices are expected to increase in the future, mainly in developed countries and climate-vulnerable areas of the planet. Current advances in wastewater treatment and water reuse technologies can provide the opportunity for the foul exploitation of alternative water resources, increasing the potential of potable and non-potable water reuse systems worldwide, relying on pollutant/contaminant elimination, and improving economic and energy performances. Moreover, paradigmatic and technological switches based on an improved understanding of the relationships between the water cycle and the Water–Energy–Food (WEF) Nexus will increase the perspective of water reuse schemes. The benefits of the recovery of nutrients through sewage wastewater treatment are also highlighted, arising from reduced costs associated with their sheer removal and the supplement of fertilizers to the WEF Nexus. On the other hand, reduced nutrient removal may promote agricultural or landscape reuse practices, contributing to less energy consumption and reducing GHGs emissions. Regarding the management of water use schemes, a holistic approach (integrated management) is proposed, incorporating regulatory actions, actions increasing public awareness, interconnection among actors/stakeholders, and efficient control and monitoring. The establishment of quality criteria is paramount to preventing undesirable impacts on humans and the environment. The study considers the “one water” concept, which means equal water quality criteria independent of the origin of water, and instead differentiates among different types of water reuse as a means to facilitate implementation and management of potable and non-potable water reuse. Finally, it highlights the need to understand the impacts of water reuse systems on ecosystem services (ESs) and the consequences of achieving the global sustainable development goals (SDGs).