Workshop on the reuse of treated wastewater for the production of drinking water under the framework of the BOOST-IN Project

What words come to mind when thinking about drinking purified recycled water?

“Circular economy, risk, innovation, acceptability, sobriety, bacteria, sustainability, health, adaptation, climate change…“ 
These are the words that came up for the participants of our workshop on Thursday, April 3rd, on water reuse for drinking water production, or ‘potable reuse’. As part of the European BOOST-IN project, Ecofilae brought together representatives of the water services of the Mediterranean coast for a day of presentations and discussions on an often neglected option in the quest for new water resources.

Water scarcity in France’s Mediterranean region is becoming more of a concern due to the effects of climate change, population growth and tourism. These regions will face major challenges in the management of their water resources, which underlines the importance of implementing sustainable solutions that are less impacted by climate variability, such as potable reuse.

Although the practice is not yet widespread in France or Europe, there are more and more projects adapted to local conditions all over the world. These projects, as well as their technologies, risks and benefits, were discussed and analysed at length during the workshop to understand why they were implemented and what relevance they have for the participants’ communities. The biggest difference is between indirect and direct reuse projects for drinking water production.

Indirect and direct – two options to produce drinking water from wastewater

Indirect Potable Reuse (IPR) is a process that involves purifying treated wastewater to a very high level before discharging it into a river, dam or aquifer. There, it mixes with the water and is stored for later extraction for treatment and drinking water supply.  There are many such initiatives around the world, such as those carried out in Spain, Belgium, Singapore, Australia, the USA, as well as the Jourdain project currently underway in Vendée, France.

Direct Potable Reuse (DPR) is a method of directly introducing purified wastewater into a drinking water treatment plant without passing through an environmental buffer zone such as a river, dam or aquifer. This practice is currently less widespread, but is gaining in popularity. Projects are underway in Namibia, the USA, Sweden and South Africa.

With more than 35 operational projects around the world, and another flying above the world on the International Space Station, they provide plenty of inspiration and lessons to be learned. Communities and their representatives can use these project examples to assess the relevance of these types of solutions to the challenges they face.

One key takeaway that emerged from the discussions was that the search for new water sources, such as potable reuse or desalination, should complement efforts to reduce demand and increase water use efficiency. Spending large sums of money on new infrastructure projects should be avoided as much as possible.

• For more information on the Boost-In project: https://boostin.eu/ 
• The Jourdain program in Vendée: https://jourdain.vendee-eau.fr/ 

Boost-In: Learn more

Why BOOST-IN?

Boosting the uptake of innovative solutions in the context of water and circularity

BOOST-IN is an EU-funded project dedicated to implementing a successful strategy to promote technological changes, governance schemes, shifts in mindset and organisational structures the water sector needs to become circular.

Mission

Our mission is to transform the water sector into a circular, sustainable system. We will do this by sharing innovative solutions and real-life success stories: think recycling water, capturing energy from wastewater, and turning what used to be waste into valuable resources.

Our objectives

• Transfer innovative Water Circular Economy Solutions.
• Close water cycles effectively.
• Reuse water resources.
• Support entrepreneurship in the water sector.
• Advocating policy changes to facilitate circularity.

Context

In this region, water scarcity is a problem that is becoming more acute due to climate change, population growth and the development of the tourism sector. These areas are expected to face serious challenges in the management of their water resources, making it essential to implement sustainable solutions, such as direct and indirect water reuse for drinking water production (DPR/IPR). The implementation of these solutions and innovations in this region will be based on the results of the Jourdain project, an innovative demonstration project that is taking place from 2022 to 2026 on the French Atlantic coast.

The BOOST-IN project will highlight innovative solutions

• Learning from Others: Use lessons from past European research and innovation projects to help spread these innovations in specific regions and across Europe, aiming to make policies and markets more supportive.
• Finding, Sorting, and Mapping: Identify solutions with the highest potential for success and adapt them to six selected regions (Spain, Greece, Germany, France, Italy and Bulgaria).
• Collaborating with Local Stakeholders: Engage with stakeholders in workshops to enhance the appeal of solutions and address social barriers to their adoption.
• Training and Educating: Develop training materials and courses to bridge knowledge gaps about the solutions for young professionals.

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Ecofilae Contacts:

BOOST-IN Workshops & Projects:
Cameron McLennan – 06 42 41 70 05 – cameron.mclennan@ecofilae.fr

Communication:
Agathe Hoffmann – 06 76 75 38 59 – agathe.hoffmann@ecofilae.fr