1. 2019 Danube Water Conference May 20-21, 2019 | Vienna, Austria
Boosting Supply Security by
Water Reclamation and Reuse
Josef Lahnsteiner, VA TECH WABAG

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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_
Defacto reuse occurs in many regions of the world including the Danube region
Modified after WateReuse California

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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

11. Water Reuse in Spain
Source: Teresa Navarro

12. 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

13. 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

14. 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

15. Indirect Potable Reuse in Flanders/Belgium
Source: Van Houtte

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

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

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

19. 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)

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

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

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

23. Potable and Industrial Reuse in Singapore

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

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

26. Potable Water Reuse in Singapore
NEWater Storage Tank

27. Potable Water Reuse in Singapore
Chestnut Avenue Waterworks

28. Potable Water Reuse in Singapore

29. 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

30. 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)

31. Thanks for your attention!
Josef Lahnsteiner