The reuse of treated urban wastewater as an alternative resource for water is already a common practice in many arid countries to deal with water scarcity and reduce the demand for freshwater resources. Water reuse is embedded in both international and national strategies in Europe. However, a supportive and coherent framework is missing to date. Minimal awareness among stakeholders and the public about the potential benefits of water reuse is also often lacking. In 2018, the EU Commission launched a European-wide regulation that defines minimum requirements for water reuse for agricultural irrigation. It was adopted by the European Parliament and has been in force since June 26, 2020. In the next three years, these requirements are to be transposed into national law. The implementation of this new regulation is also anchored in the Circular Economy Action Plan adopted by the EU Commission in 2020. This plan stated that the Commission will also facilitate the reuse and efficient use of water in other sectors, including industrial processes.
Ongoing joint projects, Funding measure: Water Technologies: Reuse
Completed joint projects, Funding measure WavE:
