PubMed · 2002 · 107 citations · 5 references
Natural ResourcesEnvironmental EngineeringWater Resources ManagementWastewater TreatmentWater Resource ManagementWater Resources PlanningResource Recovery From WastewaterWaste TreatmentWastewater ManagementWater ManagementWater ReclamationWater ReuseDisposalReclaimed Water ReuseReclamationReuseWastewater RecyclingWater Reuse InfrastructureWater Reuse IntegrationWater Supply Planning
Water reclamation and reuse offer a viable way to augment traditional supplies, requiring integrated planning of infrastructure, treatment processes, economics, and utility management to close the supply–wastewater loop. The paper aims to discuss fundamental concepts of water reuse, including definitions, history, hydrologic role, categories, quality criteria, regulations, and technological innovations. The authors review and synthesize key concepts, historical developments, regulatory frameworks, and technological innovations related to water reuse. The study highlights the importance of integrating reclaimed water into resource planning and notes the rise of modern reclamation practices from wastewater to repurified water.
Water reclamation and reuse provides a unique and viable opportunity to augment traditional water supplies. As a multi-disciplined and important element of water resources development and management, water reuse can help to close the loop between water supply and wastewater disposal. Effective water reuse requires integration of water and reclaimed water supply functions. The successful development of this dependable water resource depends upon close examination and synthesis of elements from infrastructure and facilities planning, wastewater treatment plant siting, treatment process reliability, economic and financial analyses, and water utility management. In this paper, fundamental concepts of water reuse are discussed including definitions, historical developments, the role of water recycling in the hydrologic cycle, categories of water reuse, water quality criteria and regulatory requirements, and technological innovations for the safe use of reclaimed water. The paper emphasizes the integration of this alternative water supply into water resources planning, and the emergence of modern water reclamation and reuse practices from wastewater to reclaimed water to repurified water.
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