The role of membrane processes in municipal wastewater reclamation and reuse
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Date
2005Author
Wintgens, T.
Melin, T.
Schäfer, Andrea
Khan, S.
Muston, M.
Bixio, D.
Thoeye, C.
Metadata
Abstract
Wastewater reuse presents a promising solution to the growing pressure on water resources.
However, wastewater reuse implementation faces obstacles that include insufficient public
acceptance, technical, economic and hygienic risks and further uncertainties caused by a lack of
awareness, accepted standards, uniform guidelines and legislation. So far, there are no supranational
regulations on water reuse in Europe and further development is slowed by lack of widely
accepted standards e.g. in terms of required water quality, treatment technology and distribution
system design and operation.
Treatment technology encompasses a vast number of options and membrane processes are regarded
as key elements of advanced wastewater reclamation and reuse schemes and are included in a
number of prominent schemes world-wide, e.g. for artificial groundwater recharge, indirect potable
reuse as well as for industrial process water production. For dual reticulation purposes in urban
areas two types of systems have been built, a centralised type of treatment with dual membrane
processes, including e.g. microfiltration (MF) and reverse osmosis (RO), and small scale systems
using membrane bioreactors. This paper will provide an overview of the status of membranes
processes in wastewater reclamation and reuse world-wide and will depict their potential role in
promoting more sustainable water use patterns.