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

Abstract

An EU regulatory instrument for water reuse is planned to be developed by 2015, in order to find innovative\nsolutions to the challenges of ensuring water supply for urban, industrial and agriculture use. Despite the water\nreuse applications already developed in many countries, a number of barriers still prevent the widespread\nimplementation of water reuse around Europe and on a global scale. These barriers will have to be overcome.\nThis JRC Science and Policy Report analyses the technical, environmental and socioeconomic challenges to the\noption of water reuse as a means of ensuring sufficient supply to meet the growing needs of society. It presents\nand compares the most relevant national and international guidelines on water reuse, evaluates existing water\nreuse standards in EU Member States, presents a risk-based management approach for wastewater reuse, and\nidentifies the areas that require technological and regulatory innovation as well as the barriers to be overcome.