1. Governance and Regulation: Dr Sarah Hendry

2. REDUCING REMOVING REUSING RECOVERING BURDEN VALUABLE RESOURCE
WASTEWATER: v
Not a
BURDEN
REUSING v
but a
VALUABLE
RESOURCE
RECOVERING
4 R’s v

3. Definitions Wastewater or effluent: Blackwater: Greywater:
domestic effluent (blackwater / greywater); water from commercial premises; industrial effluent; stormwater and other urban runoff; and agricultural, horticultural and aquaculture runoff
Wastewater or effluent:
generated from the toilet... contains urine, faeces, flushwater and/or toilet paper.
Blackwater:
generated from a washing machine, bathtub, shower or bathroom sink …
Greywater:
Treated (‘fit-for-purpose’) wastewater that can be used under controlled conditions for beneficial purposes within the same establishment or industry (or for irrigation)
Recycled (or Reclaimed) water:
Use of untreated, partially treated or treated wastewater
Water reuse/wastewater use:

4. Context
800m people lack ‘improved’ DW; 1.6bn may lack safe DW; 2.6bn still lack even basic sanitation
Est 850,000 deaths directly caused by inadequate water services yearly, including 360,000 under 5’s.
>99% water, and <1% waste
>80% of WW globally is not treated
Wastewater widely used for agriculture / aquaculture
Return on investment is $5.5 / $1 spend
Energy and nutrients…

5. Consumption and WW Production
4000km2 water abstracted annually;
44% consumed
56% -> WW
Source: WWDR 2017; Based on data from AQUASTAT (n.d.a.); Mateo-Sagasta et al. (2015); and Shiklomanov (1999). Contributed by Sara Marjani Zadeh (FAO).

6. Sustainable Development Goals
Goal 6 – all aspects of water: DW; sanitation; water management; transboundary cooperation;
Target 6.3: By 2030, improve water quality by reducing pollution, eliminating dumping and minimizing release of hazardous chemicals and materials, halving the proportion of untreated wastewater and substantially increasing recycling and safe reuse globally

7. Stakeholder engagement
Law, Policy, Governance
International, regional,
national,
local
Actors and Roles
Powers and Duties;
Rights and Liabilities
Definitions
Treatment options
Standard-setting
Water reuse
Waste management
Economic regulation
Stakeholder engagement
User perceptions

8. Policy-making and Implementation

9. International Law
UN Convention on Non-Navigational Uses of International Watercourses
Customary Law
Regional Agreements
Multi-lateral Environmental Agreements
Chemicals, waste
UNECE (Helsinki) Convention Transboundary Watercourses & International Lakes
UNECE / WHO Protocol on Water and Health

10. Protecting the Danube and the Black Sea
Europe’s second longest river, draining water from 19 states into the Black Sea.
Cooperation through transboundary, regional and national laws.
International Commission -> Participation Strategy; Funding through the Global Environment Facility.
Investment portfolio of nearly 500 projects, worth over US$5 billion
Since 2010, the Budapest Central Wastewater Treatment Plant treats 95% of the wastewater from Budapest, recovering nutrients and energy.
See

11. EU Law - Waste / Land EU waste policy and ‘circular economy’
‘3R’s’ – reduce, recycle, reuse
precautionary and polluter pays principles
Framework Directive on Waste (2008/98/EC)
Closing loops, recovering resources
Directive on sewage sludge in agriculture
non-waterborne sanitation
management of sludge.
EU waste policy and ‘circular economy’
1986…
Solid waste legislation highly relevant

12. EU law – Water Water Framework Directive
Water quality / ecosystems
Surface and groundwater
Cost recovery for water services
Authorisation of discharges
Water Framework Directive
collection and primary treatment p.e. >2,000
biological (secondary) treatment p.e.
> 10,000
Sensitive waters -tertiary treatment
Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive
‘Emerging’ pollutants
Solvents, heavy metals, pesticides
33 substances, 2008; extended to 45, 2013
EU Priority Substances Directive

13. Resource Recovery Energy Biogas Heating / cooling
Electricity generation
On-site sludge / biosolids
Reduce energy consumption, carbon
Nutrients
N, P cause eutrophication
Phosphates increasingly expensive to mine
Urine contains 88% of the P and 60% of the N in human waste
Human waste could provide 22% of global P demand

14. Water Reuse Industrial wastewater Agricultural drainage Water cascades
large businesses at the forefront
Industrial wastewater
source of GW recharge;
basin-wide / IWRM type approach
Agricultural drainage
using successively for less high quality
may depend on geography
Water cascades
eg parks, public spaces
Municipal use for non-drinking water
newbuild; retrofit?
Building regs? Plumbers?
Greywater use
most sensitive
Reuse for drinking, food production
Externalities…
Price v price of raw water?

15. Water Reuse (2)
WHO guidelines on use of wastewater, greywater, excreta
Widely used in agriculture and aquaculture – may / not be adequate safeguards
Safety of users and consumers
‘Yuck’ factor

16. Water Reuse – the EU
Standards for water reuse / water efficiency in buildings?
EU considering legislation –
8 MS use reclaimed water commonly
6 have domestic standards, 2 in development
Competition / free movement

17. Water Reuse for DW
Use WW to recharge GW or return to surface waters for mixing with DW sources
Issues of acceptability; and standards of WW treatment
High level treatment then out to sea is waste!

18. Brexit – free movement, trade – what rules?
Conclusions
Brexit – environmental law, UWWTD, water reuse – future investment / technical standards?
Brexit – free movement, trade – what rules?
Worldwide –make provision for the poorest – non-waterborne, basic facilities; small-scale / onsite;
Whilst also developing at cutting-edge, managing ‘new’ pollutants, water efficiency;
Reduce; Remove; Reuse; Recover – huge opportunities for innovation, resource recovery, water reuse.

19. Thank you! Questions and Comments Welcome