Increasing Water System Robustness in the Netherlands: Potential of Cross-Sectoral Water Reuse

Increasing Water System Robustness in the Netherlands: Potential of Cross-Sectoral Water Reuse

Water reuse has the potential to substantially reduce the demand on groundwater and surface water. This study presents a method to evaluate the potential of water reuse schemes in a regional context and demonstrates how water reuse propagates through the water system and potentially reduces pressure...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Water resources management Vol. 35; no. 11; pp. 3721 - 3735
Main Authors: Pronk, G. J., Stofberg, S. F., Van Dooren, T. C. G. W., Dingemans, M. M. L., Frijns, J., Koeman-Stein, N. E., Smeets, P. W. M. H., Bartholomeus, R. P.
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: Dordrecht Springer Netherlands 01-09-2021
Springer Nature B.V
Subjects:
Anthropogenic factors
Atmospheric Sciences
Civil Engineering
Climate change
Context
Earth and Environmental Science
Earth Sciences
Effluents
Environment
Environmental impact
Geotechnical Engineering & Applied Earth Sciences
Groundwater
Human influences
Hydrogeology
Hydrology/Water Resources
Impaired water use
Industrial applications
Industrial wastes
Industrial wastewater
Municipal wastewater
Public opinion
Replenishment
Safety
Surface water
Surface-groundwater relations
Wastewater
Wastewater irrigation
Water availability
Water demand
Water quality
Water resources
Water reuse
Netherlands
Wastewater
Water stress
Water reuse
Water system robustness
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Summary:Water reuse has the potential to substantially reduce the demand on groundwater and surface water. This study presents a method to evaluate the potential of water reuse schemes in a regional context and demonstrates how water reuse propagates through the water system and potentially reduces pressure on groundwater resources. The use of Sankey diagram visualisation provides a valuable tool to explore and evaluate regional application of water reuse, its potential to reduce groundwater and surface water demand, and the possible synergies and trade-offs between sectors. The approach is demonstrated for the Dutch anthropogenic water system in the current situation and for a future scenario with increased water demand and reduced water availability due to climate change. Four types of water reuse are evaluated by theoretically upscaling local or regional water reuse schemes based on local reuse examples currently in operation in the Netherlands or Flanders: municipal and industrial wastewater effluent reuse for irrigation, effluent reuse for industrial applications, and reuse for groundwater replenishment. In all cases, water reuse has the potential to significantly reduce groundwater extraction volume, and thus to alleviate the pressure on the groundwater system. The water-quantity based analysis is placed in the context of water quality demands, health and safety aspects, technological requirements, regulations, public perception, and its net impact on the environment. This integrative context is essential for a successful implementation of water reuse in practice.
ISSN:0920-4741
1573-1650
DOI:10.1007/s11269-021-02912-5