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Balancing environmental impacts and benefits of wastewater reuse

Version 2 2024-06-04, 03:23
Version 1 2014-10-27, 16:33
journal contribution
posted on 2024-06-04, 03:23 authored by AJ Hamilton, Vincent VersaceVincent Versace, F Stagnitti, P Li, W Yin, P Maher, K Hermon, RR Premier, Daniel IerodiaconouDaniel Ierodiaconou
Wastewater reuse is being widely promulgated to help address the global freshwater resource crisis. It can assist in reducing extraction of freshwater from the environment, and reuse of wastewater lessens the need for environmental discharge, which is clearly beneficial to receiving waters. But the practice itself also has the potential to be detrimental to natural and human environments: soil structure can become degraded, aquifers may be polluted, and human health may be threatened. The challenge facing natural resource managers is to identify the potential benefits and risks, and to achieve an appropriate balance. This paper describes environmental benefits and threats concomitant with the reuse of wastewater. We frequently draw upon examples from China and Australia-two countries that face particularly daunting water resource challenges-but the principles can be.extended far beyond these geographical bounds and are applicable to many parts of the world.

History

Journal

WSEAS transactions on environment and development

Volume

2

Pagination

117-129

Location

Athens, Greece

ISSN

1790-5079

Language

eng

Publication classification

C1.1 Refereed article in a scholarly journal

Issue

2

Publisher

World Scientific and Engineering Academy and Society (WSEAS)