Mr Neil Dhot IEWP @ 1st Indo-European Water Forum, 23-24 novembre 2015

Neil Dhot

Secretary General

Water Recycling – the EU case

eureau.orgEurEau.Water Matters.

1. Water Reuse in the EU

2. What is Reuse?

3. What are the benefits?

4. What are the problems?

5. Case study

EurEau. Water Matters. eureau.org

What is EurEau?EurEauthe voice ofEurope’swater sectorsince 1975

Ourmembersare the nationalwaterservicesassociationsfrom 28Europeancountries

We representpublic andprivatedrinkingand wastewaterserviceproviders

Employing500,00 people,the sector makesa significantcontribution tothe Europeaneconomy

EurEau.Water Matters. eureau.org

1. Water Reuse in the EUKey messages~ Water recovered from wastewater and treated to standards

that allow safe use.

~ Not common across Europe but is emerging and being encouraged by the EU.

~ It’s necessary because of the huge pressure on water resources in Europe

~ Potential for major economic and environmental benefits and for agriculture and industry.

~ But some challenges, including costs, and reuse will not be appropriate in all cases.


2. What is Reuse?~ Water recovered from wastewater and treated to standards

that allow safe use.

~ Two major types of water reuse: Direct: recovered water flows via pipelines, storage tanks,

etc directly from treatment to a distribution system. Indirect: recovered water, placed into a water supply

source eg lake, river, or aquifer and then retrieved to be used again.

~ Various international definitions, eg EU, Australia, USA, all say ‘reclaiming wastewater for beneficial use’

~ Southern European states leading this work


~ EU policy context: Water Framework Directive

Water bodies which are over abstracted, at low levels or low flows are not at ‘good status’.

Requires policies to incentivise water efficiency

~ Climate change action EU now demanding action on water scarcity and droughts

~ Circular Economy more efficient use of natural resources and preservation of

their value Guidance document and standards according to the use

are foreseen for next year.

2. What is Reuse?


3. What are the benefits?Who/What benefits from using recovered water:

~ Agriculture and irrigation: The main water user in Europe – 33% of total water use. 80% of abstractions in Southern Europe

~ Industrial: varied uses eg cooling, processing, washing 40% of total EU water use by industry and energy

~ Urban: varied uses eg parks, fire fighting, street cleaning 37% of wastewater in southern Europe is for urban use

~ Environmental: restoring natural habitats (wetlands/marshes), urban flood defences, aquifer recharge


~ Economic benefits: Huge potential for €billions in direct and indirect benefits. Plus: 2009-2015 – capital expenditure on water re-use grew at a

compound annual growth rate of 19.5% a year 2009-2015 – global capacity of reuse plants grew from

28Mm3/d to 70Mm3/d

~ Economic risks of not acting on reuse: Impact of EU economy of 2003 drought - €8.7billion 1% increase in drought area slows a country’s GDP by up

to 2.7% a year. Spanish study (2001) – restrictions on non-priority water

users following drought warning would lead to loss of €1.196bn to Catalunya economy

3. What are the benefits?


4. What are the problems?There are still many challenges to overcome:

~ Water quality: many factors to take into account Quality of receiving water Depth of water table and soil drainage Impact of particles eg metals and chemicals on soil

productivity WHO has identified potential risks to human health but

other research is contradictory.

~ Hydrology: impact of introducing reused water to river flow levels

~ Treatment: determining level of treatment and technology choice is complex.


4. What are the problems?~ Distribution and storage: could be inefficient and costly

Difficult to show how much reused water flowing into receiving waters is reused

Storing and pumping reused water into a distant network is costly

~ Legislative barriers: in some EU countries too stringent/impossible measures in implementation


5. Case study High quality recycled water for agricultural irrigation from two wastewater treatment plants in Milan, Italy.

Success factors:~ Presence of a very old complex network of irrigation

canals and agricultural activity near the city. ~ Delivery of high quality recycled water to farmers

almost free of charge~ Effective control of water allocation by two farmer

associations ~ High operational efficiency and reliability ensured by

high qualified staff and public-private partnership ~ Public education programs and collaborations with

non-profit organisations.


5. Case study

Key figures:

~ Capital cost: 150 M€ (Nosedo), 132.6 M€ (San Rocco)

~ Operation and maintenance costs of between 0.115 €/m3 and 0.139 €/m3

~ Stringent standards for unrestricted irrigation of <10 E.coli/100 ml

~ Recognised environmental benefits and added value for agriculture

Neil DhotSecretary [email protected]

Thank youfor your attention

EurEau. Water Matters.www.eureau.org

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