Get Water Reuse: Potential for Expanding the Nations Water Supply Through Reuse of Municipal Wastewater

Water Reuse: Potential for Expanding the Nations Water Supply Through Reuse of Municipal Wastewater
Committee on the Assessment of Water Reuse as an Approach to Meeting Future Water Supply Needs; National Research Council

NAS Press | 2012 | ISBN: 0309224594 9780309224598 | 363 pages | PDF | 7 MB

This report presents a portfolio of treatment options available to mitigate water quality issues in reclaimed water along with new analysis suggesting that the risk of exposure to certain microbial and chemical contaminants from drinking reclaimed water does not appear to be any higher than the risk experienced in at least some current drinking water treatment systems, and may be orders of magnitude lower.

This issue recommends adjustments to the federal regulatory framework that could enhance public health protection for both planned and unplanned (or de facto) reuse and increase public confidence in water reuse.

Contents

REPORT SUMMARY

1 A NEW ERA OF WATER MANAGEMENT

Population Growth and Water Supply

New Approaches to Water Management

Current Challenges

Statement of Committee Task and Report Overview

Conclusion

2 CURRENT STATE OF WATER REUSE

Context for Water Reuse

Planned Nonpotable Water Reuse Applications

Potable Water Reuse

Extent of Water Reuse

Conclusions and Recommendations

3 WATER QUALITY

Pathogens

Inorganic Chemicals

Organic Chemicals

Conclusions

4 WASTEWATER RECLAMATION TECHNOLOGY

Preliminary, Primary, and Secondary Treatment

Disinfection

Advanced Engineered Treatment

Engineered Natural Processes

Conclusions

5 ENSURING WATER QUALITY IN WATER RECLAMATION

Design Principles to Ensure Quality and Reliability

Operational Principles to Assure Quality and Reliability

Steps to Ensure Water Quality in Water Reuse

Conclusions and Recommendations

6 UNDERSTANDING THE RISKS

Introduction to the Risk Framework

Context for Understanding Waterborne Illnesses and Outbreaks

Hazard Identification

Water Reuse Exposure Assessment

Dose-Response Assessments

Risk Characterization

Consideration of Uncertainty

Conclusions and Recommendations

7 EVALUATING THE RISKS OF POTABLE REUSE IN CONTEXT

Previous NRC Assessments of Reuse Risks

The Risk Exemplar

Conclusions

8 ECOLOGICAL ENHANCEMENT VIA WATER REUSE

Potential Concerns about Environmental Applications

Approaches for Assessing Ecological Risks of Reclaimed Water

Conclusions and Recommendations

9 COSTS

Financial and Economic Costs

Factors Affecting the Financial Costs of Water Reuse Projects

Nonmonetized Costs and Benefits of Reuse

Reported Reuse Costs

Comparative Costs of Supply Alternatives

Reclaimed Water Rates

Conclusions and Recommendations

10 SOCIAL, LEGAL, AND REGULATORY ISSUES AND OPPORTUNITIES

Water Rights

The Federal Water Quality Regulatory Framework

Water Reuse Regulations and Guidelines

Public Involvement and Attitudes

Conclusions

11 RESEARCH NEEDS

Research Priorities

Federal and Nonfederal Roles

Conclusions

REFERENCES

ACRONYMS

APPENDIXES

A Details in Support of the Risk Exemplar in Chapter 6

B Computation of Average Daily Dose

C Survey of Water Reclamation Costs

D Water Science and Technology Board

E Biographical Sketches of Committee Members

with TOC BookMarkLinks

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