EPA GUIDELINES FOR WATER REUSE DOCUMENT UPDATE – U.S. OUTREACH II

摘要

Water reclamation and reuse have taken on increased importance in management of water supply and wastewater, as the world's water supplies become increasingly strained. Thus, alternative and efficient water options, such as reclaimed water, are increasingly needed. The 2004 Guidelines for Water Reuse report highlights a broad range of opportunities for using reclaimed water. In addition to summarizing the existing regulations in the United States, the document also includes water reuse practices outside of the United States, case studies, information on planning for future water reuse systems, and information on indirect potable reuse and industrial reuse. Disinfection and treatment technologies, emerging contaminants, and public involvement and acceptance were also discussed. Recently, the EPA and CDM initiated the development process for the next EPA Guidelines for Water Reuse, which is anticipated for production in late 2012. The first step in developing the document was to seek input from individuals recognized as the leading water reuse authorities in their respective fields, to determine the format and scope of the updated Guidelines. This was accomplished using a Stakeholder workshop, held at the WateReuse Symposium in September 2009 in Seattle and the Water Environment Federation's Technical Exhibition and Conference (WEFTEC) in October 2009 in Orlando. A brainstorming session was held at the AWWA Water Quality Technology Conference, in Savannah, Georgia during November 2010. This workshop solicited input on existing material that should be updated, material that could be deleted, gaps in information due to omission in 2004, and new focus areas to explore. Through this Stakeholder process, the steering committee and planning team have identified key topics for the update and a table of contents has been developed; the next step is identifying authors and contributors to draft this information. The proposed U.S. Outreach II, in the spring of 2011, will educate reuse professionals on the topics to be addressed in the next update, and identify authors, reviewers and case studies needed to complete a draft document by the fall of 2011. In addition to the three U.S. workshops, two international workshops are scheduled to solicit input on international water reuse. In the international section of the Guidelines, a variety of case studies of projects or programs throughout the world will be included to illustrate the range of experiences with water reuse. The international section will also discuss approaches for appropriate treatment options, market-based mechanisms for reuse implementation, and guidelines to reduce health risks associated with informal water reuse in developing countries.