Chapter 4: Waste Water Reuse in Developing Countries Check Access

Owing to the severe water crunch faced worldwide, water reuse has now become an important option to be considered to meet the demands of the growing population globally. Potable reuse strategies are paramount among the various options of waste water reuse available currently. This chapter deals with Indirect Potable Reuse (IPR) and Direct Potable Reuse (DPR) in terms of various treatment technologies available. Potentially harmful contaminants that may be present in waste waters are discussed briefly. Some of the existing IPR and DPR projects have been highlighted with specific emphasis on the treatment methods adopted, merits and demerits and possible future areas of research. The main road block in the successful and timely implementation of potable reuse systems, other than the technological and economic issues, is public acceptance. Greater weightage on public outreach programs to educate and reassure the people at large by stakeholders at various levels will go a long way in implementing these systems. Given the present scenario, the world is moving towards direct potable reuse across both urban and rural populations.