Question: What is the current and future potential for global urban wastewater
reuse? The potential for global urban wastewater reuse will be analyzed from
political, economic, social, and technological perspectives. There are two
classifications of wastewater. Blackwater is wastewater that requires some form of
disinfection, whether organic, chemical, or by other means. Blackwater often
contains raw sewage from the toilet. Due to the infectious materials present in
blackwater, it is only reused outdoors. Greywater is wastewater that requires less
treatment. Greywater is water from sinks, washing machines, showers, and taps.
Greywater can be reused in toilets, gardens, and washing machines.
Outline:
Topic: Wastewater Use and Reuse in Urban Settings
I.
Introduction-Start general and zoom in
a. General history of wastewater use and reuse
b. Why reuse wastewater
i. Benefits
ii. Urbanization
iii. Discuss alternatives to wastewater reuse
1. Fresh water
2. Salt water
iv. Purpose of paper-show that focus will be on wastewater reuse
II.
History of Wastewater Use and Reuse
a. Brief history of sewerage/reuse, beginning when water quality guidelines
and regulations were made priority in industrialized nations
b. 1980 US EPA creates water quality regulations
c. 1992-US EPA updates water quality regulations (important to note
increasing regulations and decreasing supply per capita)
d. UNEP and WHO guidelines on wastewater use and reuse
III.
Current Situation
a. Present population projections in urban settings within near future
i. Twenty to fifty years
ii. Show large volume of water usage by urban populations
b. Discuss current wastewater situation in urban settings according to:
i. WWC-World Water Council
ii. UNEP-United Nations Environment Programme
iii. WB-The World Bank
iv. US Geological Survey
v. World Water Forum
vi. World Meteorological Organization-WMO
vii. Show demand levels and increasing need for reuse
viii. Envision sustainable use of water
IV.
Urban wastewater use and reuse
a. Two types-definition
Thomas Shields
Honors Thesis Outline for Southwestern University
Wastewater Use and Reuse in Urban Settings
Presented to Canary Strategies on 26.08.03
page 1/5
V.
VI.
VII.
i. Greywater
ii. Blackwater
b. Usage, or lack of usage
c. Brief discussion of benefits of wastewater reuse
i. water reuse is less-consumptive
ii. encourages conservation
iii. cuts down on pollution entering environment
iv. saves money on new infrastructure
Economic analysis of wastewater use and reuse
a. Pricing (willingness to pay) and investment
b. Closing the cost gap between price of water and cost of maintaining
sewage system
i. Infrastructure cost analysis
ii. Full cost pricing of treated water
1. What are the externalities and what is their size ($)
2. Will raise public awareness
3. Can help with conservation
4. Impact on low income households
iii. Money saving of wastewater reuse
iv. Environmental justice issues
c. Resource recovery-shows amount of recoverable nutrients in sewage and
economic equivalent in fertilizer industry
Technology
a. Experience of Scandinavian countries
b. Applicability of arid land technologies
c. Specific technologies
i. Rainstore
ii. Storm water recovery
iii. Ecosand. Technological mentalities
i. Cascading
ii. Closing the gap
iii. Watershed approach
e. Matching technologies to sites
Legislative Guidelines
a. Allowable technologies
b. Show trend of more restrictive guidelines
i. Use specific case study
ii. Use US EPA guidelines
c. International agencies
i. World Water Forum
ii. World Health Organization
d. Who is responsible for development of wastewater use and reuse
i. Private companies in terms of industrial use
Thomas Shields
Honors Thesis Outline for Southwestern University
Wastewater Use and Reuse in Urban Settings
Presented to Canary Strategies on 26.08.03
page 2/5
VIII.
IX.
ii. Governments-development of guidelines
iii. Public at large
iv. Treatment plants
e. Funding
Public Perception
a. Smell
b. Appearance
c. Health effects and confidence in water quality
1. Biological Oxygen Demand
2. Chemical Oxygen Demand
3. Turbidity
4. Total dissolved solids
d. Environmental health effectsi. Benefits
ii. Costs
e. Financial incentives
i. Freshwater too expensive
ii. Tax breaks
f. Obstacles and encouragement to public acceptance
g. Perception and activism
h. Conceptualizing difference in wastewater and respective uses
Closing
a. Reiterate perspectives
b. Show future potential of wastewater use and reuse
c. Envision sustainability
d. Provide recommendations for West Texas
Bibliography:
I. Introduction, definition, and background information
Fane, Simon. “Wastewater re-use.” Good Residential Design Guide: Technical Manual.
August 2003. <http://www.greenhouse.gov.au/yourhome/technical/fs23.htm>
Eco Design Sustainable Housing: Water Conservation in the 20th Century Versus 3700
years of Sewerage. A Brief History of Sewerage and a Lood at Modern Water
Conservation Practices. 24 August 2003.
<http://homepage.powerup.com.au/~edesign/ABriefHistoryofSewerage.htm>
“Fact Sheet: Water Reuse in Developing Countires.” Information for Action from the
Water and Sanitation for Health Project.
II. Technology
Aalbers, Herbert; Sietzema, Minne J. “Present Technological Options for Water Use and
Treatment in the Context of the Ecological Integrity Approach.” UWEP
Thomas Shields
Honors Thesis Outline for Southwestern University
Wastewater Use and Reuse in Urban Settings
Presented to Canary Strategies on 26.08.03
page 3/5
Occasional Paper. December 1999.
<http://www.waste.nl/dochtm/occpap/OP_tech.htm>
United Nations Environment Programme, Division of Technology, Industry, and
Economics: International Environmental Technology Centre. “Newsletter and
Technical Publications<International Source Book on Environmentally Sound
Technologies for Wastewater and Stormwater Management>” Chapter 4:
Framework for wastewater and stormwater management. 24 August 2003.
<http://www.unep.or.jp/ietc/Publications/TechPublications/TechPub-15/1/4.asp>
United Nations Environment Programme, Division of Technology, Industry, and
Economics: International Environmental Technology Centre. “Newsletter and
Technical Publications<International Source Book on Environmentally Sound
Technologies for Wastewater and Stormwater Management>” Chapter 1.4:
Reuse. 24 August 2003.
<http://www.unep.or.jp/ietc/Publications/TechPublications/TechPub-15/31Africa/1-4.asp>
Van Nieuwenhuijzen, Arjen F, and Adriaan R. Mels. “Chemical enhanced pre-treatment
of wastewater in the Netherlands: Treating Wastewater the Scandinavian Way.”
No. 1, May 2000 The Water Mirror.
Invisible Structures, Inc. August 2003. <http://www.invisiblestructures.com>
III. Economic
Mehan, G. Tracy. Assistant Administrator of the Office of Water, U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency. “Sustaining our Water Infrastructure.” January 31, 2003.
<http://www.epa.gov/water/speeches/sustaining.html>
West, Sarah. Sydney Water corporation: On-site ’01 Conference, Armidale, September
2001. “Innovations from Scandinavia: Increasing the Potential for Reuse”
<http://www.geocities.com/sarahmwest/scaninno01.html>
Okun, Daniel A. “Distributing reclaimed water through dual systems.” Resource
Management. Volume 89, Issue 11.
IV. Public Perception
Jeppsson U, Alex J, Pons MN, Spanjers H, Vanrolleghem PA. “Status and Future Trends
of ICA in Wastewater Treatment-A European Perspective.” Water Sci Technol.
2002;45(4-5):485-94. <http://biomath.rug.ac.be/~peter/ftp/pvr297.pdf>
V. Guidelines and Legislation
Bahri, A. National Research Institute for Agricultural Engineering, Water, and Forestry,
Tunisia. “Water Reuse in the Middle East, North Africa and Mediterranean
Countries”
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Agency for International Development.
Manual: Guidelines for Water Reuse. September 1992.
Thomas Shields
Honors Thesis Outline for Southwestern University
Wastewater Use and Reuse in Urban Settings
Presented to Canary Strategies on 26.08.03
page 4/5
Scheibal, Stephen. “Wastewater ownership issue divides Austin, river authority.” Austin
American-Statesman, Sunday, February 23, 2003.
<http://www.austin360.com/statesman/editions/sunday/news_4.htm
Thomas Shields
Honors Thesis Outline for Southwestern University
Wastewater Use and Reuse in Urban Settings
Presented to Canary Strategies on 26.08.03
page 5/5