Wastewater reuse in Europe

In Europe the last two decades has witnessed growing water stress, both in terms of water scarcity and quality deterioration, which has prompted many municipalities to look for a more efficient use of water resources, including a more widespread acceptance of water reuse practices. This paper reviews European water reuse practices and sets out the map of the water reclamation technologies and reuse applications. The data are based on a conventional literature survey, on the preliminary evaluation of an in-depth survey of a large number of European water reuse projects and on the findings of a dedicated international workshop. The preliminary evaluation indicates that for an increased utilisation of reclaimed wastewater, clearer institutional arrangements, more dedicated economic instruments and the set-up of water reuse guidelines are needed. Technological innovation and the establishment of a best practice framework will help, but even more, a change is needed in the underlying stakeholders’ perception of the water cycle.