Water Reclamation Technologies for Safe Artificial Groundwater Recharge (RECLAIM WATER)

The project focuses its research objectives on the investigation of water reclamation technologies and their impact on key contaminants.

RECLAIM WATER provides effective technologies to monitor and mitigate emerging risks posed by chemical contaminants and pathogens in reclaimed wastewater streams used for groundwater recharge.

The main results of the project are:

· New and improved water reclamation and reuse technologies (new process combinations, new recharge methods)

· New and improved operational concepts for water reclamation schemes

· Knowledge about performance determining processes in water reclamation and aquifer recharge

· Knowledge about the fate and removal mechanisms of emerging contaminants and pathogens in water reclamation systems for groundwater recharge

· New analytical methods to monitor emerging chemical contaminants and pathogens

· Hazard mitigation strategies for different water reclamation and reuse applications investigated in case studies, with focus on artificial aquifer recharge

· Knowledge, concepts and models of natural processes occurring in subsurface systems (soil, unsaturated zone, aquifer) when the reclaimed water is used for Artificial Recharge (AR).

· Concepts for dissemination and transfer of results into developing countries

Solutions to global water stress problems are urgently needed; however they must be sustainable, economical and safe. The utilization of alternative water sources like reclaimed municipal wastewater is one of the most obvious and promising options in integrated water management.

Among the various beneficial uses of reclaimed wastewater, the artificial Aquifer Recharge (AR) receives growing attention because it features advantages like additional natural treatment, storage capacity to buffer seasonal variations of supply and demand as well as a mixture with natural water bodies which promotes the acceptance of further uses, particularly of indirect potable use.

Major concerns about the safety of this exploitation of an alternative water source are connected to microbial and chemical contaminants occurring in wastewater, among which are emerging trace organics like endocrine disrupters and pharmaceuticals.

RECLAIM WATER project supports the overall objective to promote Sustainable Development through the provision of technological tools and the establishment of safe water reclamation and aquifer recharge practices. The proposed project addresses the sub-topic Innovative technologies for alternative water sources in the topic Management of scarce water resources and mitigation technologies.

The main idea of the project is that sustainability has to be pursued in terms of appropriateness of the technologies for the type of reuse and cost, in order to promote water reclamation and reuse practices. The evaluation of process technologies has to be based on rapid and efficient analytical tools resulting in accurate and reliable monitoring practices for the chemical and microbiological quality of the treated effluents.

The activities in the project include technological development (both in terms of treatment and monitoring) as well as validation (through case studies). The conditions of developing countries are considered through full participation of a Chinese partner and the overall technological orientation and the transferability of the results into water stressed target regions. Third country participation has been utilized to enhance the scope and quality of the project.

UNESCO-IHE activities in this project are progressing as planned. As of May 2008, 4 MSc studies have been completed on different aspects of soil aquifer treatment, a natural water reclamation technology.

Please visit the project web site www.reclaim-water.org for additional details of the project activities and research outputs, including publications.