Expanding water reuse-the use of treated wastewater for beneficial purposes including irrigation, industrial uses, and drinking water augmentation-could significantly increase the nation's total available water resources. Water Reuse 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 report 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.

As demand for water increases, water managers and planners will need to look widely for ways to improve water management and augment water supplies. This book concludes that artificial recharge can be one option in an integrated strategy to optimize total water resource management and that in some cases impaired-quality water can be used effectively as a source for artificial recharge of ground water aquifers. Source water quality characteristics, pretreatment and recharge technologies, transformations during transport through the soil and aquifer, public health issues, economic feasibility, and legal and institutional considerations are addressed. The book evaluates three main types of impaired quality water sourcesâ€"treated municipal wastewater, stormwater runoff, and irrigation return flowâ€"and describes which is the most consistent in terms of quality and quantity. Also included are descriptions of seven recharge projects.

The little-known story of the systems that bring us our drinking water, how they were developed, the problems they are facing, and how they will be reinvented in the near future

An Integrated Approach to Managing the World's Water Resources Water Reuse: Issues, Technologies, and Applications equips water/wastewater students, engineers, scientists, and professionals with a definitive account of the latest water reclamation, recycling, and reuse theory and practice. This landmark textbook presents an integrated approach to all aspects of water reuse _ from public health protection to water quality criteria and regulations to advanced technology to implementation issues. Filled with over 500 detailed illustrations and photographs, Water Reuse: Issues, Technology, and Applications features: In-depth coverage of cutting-edge water reclamation and reuse applications Current issues and developments in public health and environmental protection criteria, regulations, and risk management Review of current advanced treatment technologies, new developments, and practices Special emphasis on process reliability and multiple barrier concepts approach Consideration of satellite and decentralized water reuse facilities Consideration of planning and public participation of water reuse Inside This Landmark Water/Wastewater Management Tool • Water Reuse: An Introduction • Health and Environmental Concerns in Water Reuse • Technologies and Systems for Water Reclamation and Reuse • Water Reuse Applications • Implementing Water Reuse

In communities all around the world, water supplies are coming under increasing pressure as population growth, climate change, pollution, and changes in land use affect water quantity and quality. To address existing and anticipated water shortages, many communities are working to increase water conservation and are seeking alternative sources of water. Water reuse- the sue of treated wastewater, or "reclaimed" water, for beneficial purposes such as drinking, irrigation, or industrial uses- is one option that has helped some communities significantly expand their water supplies. Understanding Water Reuse summarizes the main findings of the National Research Council report Water Reuse: Expanding the Nation's Water Supply Through Reuse of Municipal Wastewater. The report provides an overview of the options and outlook for water reuse in the United States, discusses water treatment technologies and potential uses of reclaimed water, and presents a new analysis that compares the risks of drinking reclaimed water to those of drinking water from traditional sources.