Overcoming Global Barriers to Water Reuse

Water utility and other industry leaders should work together to overcome existing public misconceptions through clear, consistent and continuous communications about water reuse and its place within an integrated water portfolio.

Public trust is of paramount importance in implementing a water reuse program, so it’s vital that communications are transparent, evidence-based and open. Communicating a decision reversal when circumstances change can be especially difficult for utility leaders, but it’s important to inform the public when new information results in new decisions. Information about reuse, including advantages and disadvantages of alternatives, should be shared early on.

Communication about water reuse cannot be sporadic nor focus only on the solution without raising awareness of the problem. Consumers often believe that accessing water is their “human right” because it falls from the sky, but they fail to consider the cost to treat and deliver water. Sometimes a simple comparison to other household costs can be a persuasive argument for public acceptance of reuse.

Water utility and other industry leaders should emphasize the value of recycled water as a sustainable resource that will help meet future demands on the water supply.

Participants agreed there should be less focus on recycled water as a way to get rid of treated wastewater and more on its value as a water resource in a wider portfolio. Utility leaders should work with local communities to determine where and when consumers are willing to accept reused water. This will help overcome any “yuck factor” that arises when people consider reused water only as a potable water source; they may be more open to reusing water for agricultural, industrial or recreational purposes.

Robust scenario planning should be used to paint a longer-term picture of water needs in the future, but it can be difficult to convince communities to make a decision a decade or more in advance. The time for the debate to begin is now.

Water utility and other industry leaders should take a more integrated and open-minded approach to portfolio management as they develop water resources for their customers.

Integrating reuse into the total water portfolio requires a new way of thinking by all stakeholders. The water industry needs to think about integrating reuse into existing systems and avoid viewing water portfolio options as mutually exclusive.

Creating a total water management approach that includes reuse requires alignment within the water/wastewater industry and with external stakeholders, but aligning the aims of disparate groups isn’t always easy. In addition, utility leaders need to work in partnership with local, regional, state and federal agencies to develop appropriate guidelines for water reuse that will work locally. For example, in Australia, utilities for drinking water and wastewater are combined, which creates an advantage for overcoming barriers to reuse.

Water utility and other industry leaders should call for more streamlined regulations and clearer guidelines around standards in order to improve industry knowledge of the impact of water reuse.

General guidelines for reuse should be tailored to a specific country and region, with regulations regarding acceptable levels of particular compounds and microconstituents established at a local level. Communities that are considering reuse should determine what levels of compounds and microconstituents in reused water are suitable for them – what level of zero is acceptable and affordable in tough economic times. The water industry needs to build a bank of credible, robust data to demonstrate that reused water is safe and acceptable.

The costs incurred in producing highly treated reused water are often higher than traditional alternatives, so there can be a price-cost-value disconnect. A comprehensive analysis of all viable alternatives would clearly demonstrate why water reuse should be included in a water portfolio and how it compares to other options. Reused water is often priced to promote its use, but it needs to be priced realistically to be taken seriously as a sustainable water source for the future.