Abstract
Abstract Domestic wastewater reuse in agriculture is often discussed as a way to tackle water scarcity in Europe. Europe could learn from the examples of other countries that are already successfully implementing wastewater reuse, especially in the Mediterranean. However, the potential of the practice is currently unfulfilled mainly due to social and legal barriers, including public resistance and the lack of a unified legislative framework at the European Union (EU) level. In the wake of the new EU Water Reuse Regulation released in June 2020, we wonder how this legislative intervention can foster public acceptance of non-conventional water reuse practices in agriculture. The original contribution of this piece is to provide a novel discussion of the transformations potentially triggered by the new EU Regulation and to suggest an innovative way forward, based on engaging interested users in water quality monitoring (i.e. water citizen science). We combine theoretical and empirical analysis, grounding our findings in an overarching theoretical concept, i.e. the neo-institutionalism theory. We conclude that the main catalysts for stimulating public acceptance can be identified in a unifying legislative tool represented by the recent EU Regulation and in the promotion of participatory water monitoring initiatives, also in line with the spirit of the EU Regulation.
Highlights
On June 26, the European Union (EU) Regulation 2020/7411 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 May 2020 on minimum requirements for water reuse entered into force, bringing about a ground-breaking progress in the European legislative framework on non-conventional water resources treatment and application for agricultural irrigation
As we investigate a legal innovation in the field, potentially boosting public acceptance of wastewater reuse, we decided to adopt as overarching theoretical lens the ‘neo-institutionalism’ theory.[16]
This article started from the premise that water scarcity, which is becoming ever more pressing in Europe, pushes European countries to consider the use of non-conventional water sources in agriculture as a valid avenue
Summary
On June 26, the European Union (EU) Regulation 2020/7411 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 May 2020 on minimum requirements for water reuse entered into force, bringing about a ground-breaking progress in the European legislative framework on non-conventional water resources treatment and application for agricultural irrigation. EU-wide Water Scarcity & Droughts policy, whose objectives – – are far from being achieved.[6] The European residents, on their side, are increasingly becoming aware of the subject and demanding interventions, for example through the launch of a European Citizens’ Initiative on water as a public good.[7] In this scenario of water scarcity and civic push for wider access to (free) water, studies[8] have stressed how domestic wastewater reuse in agriculture could help Europe in tackling water scarcity. 10 Innovation Deals, Project deliverable 1: Joint study of regulatory barriers to wastewater reuse and their influence on market uptake of innovative technological solutions for waste water treatment. We aim at suggesting an innovative avenue to foster public acceptance of wastewater reuse in agriculture based on engaging interested users in water quality monitoring. We conclude summarizing the answer to our main research question and provide sparks for future research
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