Unintended consequences of water conservation on the use of treated municipal wastewater

Schwabe, K.; Nemati, Mehdi; Amin, Refat; Tran, Quynh K.; Jassby, David

doi:10.1038/s41893-020-0529-2

Cited by 29 publications

(25 citation statements)

References 28 publications

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“…Furthermore, as a result of rapid urbanization, population growth, climate change, desertification, and the uneven distribution of water resources in some parts of the world, water demand has increasingly outgrown its supply. These challenges have plunged the world into one form of water crisis or the other ( Gain and Wada, 2014 ; Ren et al., 2017 ; Schwabe et al., 2020 ; Sgroi et al., 2018 ). In some parts of the world, these scarcity challenges are even more visible when compared to other regions.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Several studies have outlined the importance of WWR in the areas of agriculture, industry, urban development, domestic reuse, potable water supply, and others. In the United States, for example, metropolitan treated WWR, which provides horticultural and urban irrigation system, industrial processes, and potable water use, is reported to have expanded from 4 million m 3 per day in 1995 to almost 8.5 million m 3 per day in 2015 ( Schwabe et al., 2020 ). Its benefits, especially in agriculture, has been highlighted by several studies ranging from sufficient nutrients, fertilizer alternatives, prevention of water pollution, increased energy savings, increased food production amongst others ( Corcoran et al., 2010 ; FAO, 2015 ; Jaramillo and Restrepo, 2017 ; Omole et al., 2019 ; Qadir et al., 2010 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Assessing the public perceptions of treated wastewater reuse: opportunities and implications for urban communities in developing countries

Akpan

Omole

Bassey

2020

Heliyon

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Wastewater reuse has become an integral part of Integrated Water Resources Management and thus plays a role in securing the water needs for future generations. This study aimed at determining the perceptions of Canaanland, an emerging urban community in Ogun State, Nigeria, on treated wastewater reuse for several purposes. Data were collected through questionnaires administered to the city residents (n = 244). Findings revealed that the city was aware of the economic and environmental benefits of wastewater reuse but would prefer reuse schemes that involved less human contact such as flushing toilets, electricity generation, building construction, and car wash. The least preferred option was for potable purposes. The community also revealed that they would be willing to accept wastewater reuse as long as it is endorsed by medical doctors, university professors, and experts. However, 45.5% of the respondents were from the Covenant University academic environment. Also, an assessment was carried out to ascertain the implications and opportunities for wastewater reuse in the city. Findings indicated that wastewater reuse involves several complexities and interlinkages, which revolve around political and decisional factors, economic and social factors, environmental factors, and technological factors. From the study, policy and decisional suggestions and a wastewater process flow were developed for more efficient wastewater management within developing cities. A study was carried out on eight cities from developing nations that have created a framework for wastewater management using several approaches. Also, a summary of findings reveals that if adequately researched, cheap and alternative means of wastewater treatment and reuse could be developed for electricity generation, carwash, and firefighting for developing nations. The result of this research can be used to address public anxieties regarding wastewater-reuse practices. Additionally, this study hopes to aid successful wastewater management schemes in the foreseeable future.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessing the public perceptions of treated wastewater reuse: opportunities and implications for urban communities in developing countries

Akpan

Omole

Bassey

2020

Heliyon

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“…Possible sources of sodium within UOSA's sewershed include the down-drain disposal of sodiumcontaining drinking water and sodium-containing household products [72][73][74], use of water softeners in commercial and residential locations [53], as well as permitted and non-permitted sodium discharges from industrial and commercial customers. The sodium concentration in UOSA's effluent may also be elevated due to structural and non-structural water conservation measures that concentrate salts in wastewater streams [75,76]. Indeed, sodium concentration measured in daily flow-weighted composite samples of UOSA's discharge are consistently higher than sodium concentrations measured in grab samples collected downstream on the Bull Run at station ST45 and on the Occoquan River at station ST10 (Figure 1b).…”

Section: Field Sitementioning

confidence: 98%

Addressing the contribution of indirect potable reuse to inland freshwater salinization

et al. 2021

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Inland freshwater salinity is rising worldwide, a phenomenon called the freshwater salinization 32 syndrome (FSS). We investigate a potential conflict between managing the FSS and indirect potable reuse, the practice of augmenting water supplies through the addition of reclaimed wastewater to surface waters and groundwaters. From time-series data collected over 25 years, we quantify the contributions of three salinity sources-a wastewater reclamation facility and two rapidly urbanizing watersheds-to the rising concentration of sodium (a major ion associated with the FSS) in a regionally important drinking water reservoir in the Mid-Atlantic United States. Sodium mass loading to the reservoir is primarily from watershed runoff during wet weather and reclaimed wastewater during dry weather. Across all timescales evaluated, sodium concentration in the reclaimed wastewater is higher than in outflow from the two watersheds. Sodium in reclaimed wastewater originates from chemicals added during wastewater treatment, industrial and commercial discharges, human excretion, and down-drain disposal of drinking water and sodium-rich household products. Thus, numerous opportunities exist to reduce the contribution of indirect potable reuse to sodium pollution at this site, and the FSS more generally. These efforts will require deliberative engagement with a diverse community of watershed stakeholders and careful consideration of the local political, social, and environmental context.

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“…Possible sources of sodium within UOSA's sewershed include the down-drain disposal of sodium-containing drinking water and sodium-containing household products [69][70][71], as well as permitted and nonpermitted sodium discharges from industrial and commercial customers. The sodium concentration in UOSA's effluent may also be elevated due to structural and non-structural water conservation measures that concentrate salts in wastewater streams [72,73]. Indeed, sodium concentration measured in daily flow-weighted composite samples of UOSA's discharge are consistently higher than sodium concentrations measured in grab samples collected downstream on the Bull Run at station ST45 and on the Occoquan River at station ST10 ( Figure 1b).…”

Section: Field Sitementioning

confidence: 98%

Addressing the Contribution of Indirect Potable Reuse to Inland Freshwater Salinization

Bhide¹,

Grant²,

Parker³

2020

Preprint

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Inland freshwater salinity is on the rise in many regions across the globe—a phenomenon called the freshwater salinization syndrome (FSS). In this paper we investigate a potential conflict between managing the FSS and indirect potable reuse, the practice of augmenting water supplies through the addition of reclaimed wastewater to surface waters and groundwaters. From time-series data collected over the past 25 years, we quantify the contributions of three salinity sources—a wastewater reclamation facility and two rapidly urbanizing watersheds—to the rising concentration of sodium (a major ion associated with the FSS) in a regionally important drinking water reservoir in the Mid-Atlantic United States. Sodium mass loading to the reservoir is primarily from watershed runoff during wet weather periods and reclaimed wastewater during dry weather periods. Across all timescales evaluated, sodium concentration in the reclaimed wastewater is higher than in outflow from the two watersheds. Sodium in reclaimed wastewater originates from chemicals added during wastewater treatment, industrial and commercial discharges, human excretion, and down drain disposal of drinking water and sodium-rich household products. Thus, numerous opportunities exist to reduce the contribution of indirect potable reuse to sodium pollution at this site, and the FSS more generally. On the ground implementation will require deliberative engagement with a diverse community of watershed stakeholders and careful consideration of the local political, social, and environmental context.

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Unintended consequences of water conservation on the use of treated municipal wastewater

Cited by 29 publications

References 28 publications

Assessing the public perceptions of treated wastewater reuse: opportunities and implications for urban communities in developing countries

Assessing the public perceptions of treated wastewater reuse: opportunities and implications for urban communities in developing countries

Addressing the contribution of indirect potable reuse to inland freshwater salinization

Addressing the Contribution of Indirect Potable Reuse to Inland Freshwater Salinization

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