2019 Danube Water Conference May 20-21, 2019 | Vienna, Austria Boosting Supply Security by Water Reclamation and Reuse Josef Lahnsteiner, VA TECH WABAG

Outline Water Reuse Definitions Status of the EU proposal for a Regulation on Minimum Requirements for Water Reuse Agricultural Reuse Murcia Region in Spain Industrial Reuse Municipal Effluent as Cooling Tower Make-up Indirect Potable Reuse (IPR) Flanders/Belgium Singapore Direct Potable Reuse (DPR) Overview Conclusions

Water Reuse Definitions (1) Beneficial Reuse is the use of recycled water for purposes that contribute to the water needs, economy and/or environment of a community Potable Reuse is the use of recycled water for drinking water purposes. The water is purified sufficiently to meet or exceed drinking water standards and is safe for human consumption Non-potable Reuse is the use of recycled water for purposes other than drinking water supply, such as irrigation and industrial uses Simplified after WateReuse California

Water Reuse Definitions (2) De-facto, Unacknowledged or Unplanned Potable Reuse occurs when water works draw raw water downstream from used water treatment plants Source: WRF 09_01_Map Illustrations_406664.01.01 Defacto reuse occurs in many regions of the world including the Danube region Modified after WateReuse California

Water Reuse Definitions (3) Planned Potable Reuse is publicly acknowledged as an intentional project to use recycled water for drinking water supply Indirect Potable Reuse (IPR) involves blending of recycled water in an environmental buffer (e.g. aquifer), before the water is reused for drinking purposes Direct Potable Reuse (DPR) involves putting recycled water directly into a potable water supply distribution system Simplified after WateReuse California

Current status of water reuse in the EU 787 Water reuse applications 39% agriculture 15% industry 12% recreation 11% environment Municipal used water remains an un-used resource In 2015 approx. 1.1 billion m3/y of water were recycled; this is only 2.4% of treated urban used water and < 0.5 % of freshwater abstraction There are several national regulations France, 2003 Greece, 2007 Italy, 2003 Spain, 2010 EU regulation on Minimum Requirements for Water Reuse Proposed in 2018; first reading in EU parliament completed; there will be negotiations during the Finish EU council presidency in second half of 2019 (trialogue between Council, Parliament and Commission) Modified after Y. Pousade & Water Reuse Europe

Regulation covers so far only agricultural irrigation Current status of water reuse in the EU Regulation covers so far only agricultural irrigation Amendments shall include also landscape and recreational irrigation The regulation focuses on microbiological risks depending on irrigation scheme and type of crop Validation is required only for Class A water (relevant for food crops consumed raw, etc.) Modified after Y. Pousade

http://ec.europa.eu/environment/water/pdf/water_reuse_regulation_annex.pdf

http://ec.europa.eu/environment/water/pdf/water_reuse_regulation_annex.pdf

http://ec.europa.eu/environment/water/pdf/water_reuse_regulation_annex.pdf

Water Reuse in Spain Source: Teresa Navarro

Agricultural Reuse in the Murcia Region Annual rainfall 350 mm 2.6 million tons of fruits and vegetables per year All water resources have to be used; water reclamation and reuse is essential 93 used water (wastewater) treatment plants (most with tertiary treatment) Tertiary treatment mostly with: flocculation/coagulation, lamella sedimentation, filtration and disinfection There are also 9 MBRs Most important issues Food saftey Microbiological and chemical parameters Decrease of salinity Affordability of water reclamation Source: Pedro J. Simón Andreu/ESAMUR

Agricultural Reuse in the Murcia Region Affordable Treatment ESAMUR (La Entidad Regional de Saneamiento y Depuración de Aguas Residuales de la Region Murcia) concludes that the new EU regulation is rather strict, but can be met with reasonable efforts except the 5 log removal requirement for clostridium spores ESAMUR - Reclaimed water Source: ESAMUR

Indirect Potable Reuse in Flanders/Belgium Indirect Potable Reuse (IPR) by Intercommunale Waterleidingsmaatschappij van Veurne-Ambacht (IWVA) in West Flanders Drivers for IPR Increased drinking water demand Need for sustainable groundwater extraction to prevent saline intrusion Need for ecological management of the dune area Source: Van Houtte

Indirect Potable Reuse in Flanders/Belgium Source: Van Houtte

Indirect Potable Reuse in Flanders/Belgium Toreele Water Reclamation Plant – Multi Barrier Approach Source: Van Houtte

Indirect Potable Reuse in Flanders/Belgium Source: Van Houtte IPR by IWVA – Infiltration in the dunes (environmental buffer)

Indirect Potable Reuse in Flanders/Belgium The IWVA IPR Project – Drinking Water Production Source: Van Houtte

Water Reuse for Cooling, China Yellow River at Baotou ca. 2,000 km up-stream to the Yellow Sea – runnig dry regularly in the down-stream Shandong Province (Eastern China)

Water Reuse for Cooling, China Baotou/Inner Mongolia Water Reclamation and Reuse scheme

Water Reuse for Cooling Baotou Donghedong Sewage Treatment Plant, Inner Mongolia, China

Water Reuse for Cooling Baotou Water Reclamation Plant – Biological aerated filters (BAF)

Potable and Industrial Reuse in Singapore

Singapore – IPR Scheme (av. < 10 % of total potable consumption) Source: PUB

Potable Water Reuse in Singapore Changi Sempcorp NEWater Plant - R.O., Q = 228,000 m3/day

Potable Water Reuse in Singapore NEWater Storage Tank

Potable Water Reuse in Singapore Chestnut Avenue Waterworks

Potable Water Reuse in Singapore

Windhoek, Namibia, 1969 (OGWRP), 2002 (NGWRP) Direct Potable Reuse (DPR) Major DPR Projects Windhoek, Namibia, 1969 (OGWRP), 2002 (NGWRP) Beaufort West, South Africa, 2011 Big Spring TX/USA - Blending operation started in May 2013 Wichita Falls, TX/USA – mid 2014 to mid 2015 El Paso TX/USA – Pilot testing completed, design Brownwood TX/USA – postponed

Conclusions The major driver for water reuse is water stress which is caused mainly by climate change and population growth Municipal secondary effluents are a drought-proof resource Large quantities of freshwater (from public supply) can be saved by water reuse and recycling This boosts the water supply security which can be endangered by water stress Another benefit is the reduced environmental impact Finally, it can be concluded that water reuse and recycling represents a major factor in sustainable development (economically, ecologically and socially)

Thanks for your attention! Josef Lahnsteiner josef.lahnsteiner@wabag.com