This project aims to develop a foundation for reclaimed water use in Scotland. The focus is on the intentional reuse of final effluents, which here is defined as the treated final effluent from municipal/urban wastewater treatment plants. The research has been undertaken in two stages: 1) supporting the development of national guidelines in Scotland with a review of existing guidelines in other countries, and by using risk assessment tools to help develop reclaimed water standards that will ensure public health; 2) engaging with stakeholders to evaluate the models developed in stage 1 and to identify benefits, savings, risks and barriers to use of reclaimed water in Scotland.
A series of potential end-use scenarios for reclaimed water relevant to Scotland have been developed. For each scenario, exposure and risk assessment models have been developed to assess potential human health impacts.
- Establish the real potential for marketing reclaimed water in Scotland, including the water quality requirements for business activities that could benefit from this, and the potential water savings and benefits
- Identify the risks and barriers to full implementation of reclaimed water in Scotland
- Create draft national guidelines for reclaimed water standards for future use, setting the foundations for future policy/legislation in this area.