Improving Water Resources Management through Water Reclamation and Reuse

Lluís Sala [email protected]

Workshop “Water Reclamation and Reuse in the 21st Century: Challenges and Opportunities” Riyadh, 29-30 June 2009 What is reclaimed water? (Definitions for water richer environments)

• Urban wastewater: liquid waste produced by human activity that is transported through sewer lines and that needs to be adequately treated before discharge into the environment. • Wastewater treatment (= secondary treatment): usually biological treatment applied to wastewater to be delivered back to the environment without an adverse impact. Reference parameters: BOD, SS (and N and P, in sensitive waters) • Reclamation treatment (= tertiary treatment): any treatment beyond secondary that produces water that can be safely reused for a certain purpose: – Health protection criteria – potential contact between humans and reclaimed water. Disinfection is the key process. – Environmental criteria – reclaimed water will be used for nature enhancement and contact with humans is not likely to happen. Treatment designed mainly for eutrophication control. • Water reuse: second use of a properly reclaimed water. • Water reclamation and reuse goes well beyond an improved wastewater treatment Fantasy, fashion or necessity?

• Is water reuse a fantasy? – No! Increase in water reuse projects implemented worldwide, specially in dry areas • Is water reuse a fashion? – No! Projects on operation get improved, not abandoned. • Is water reuse a necessity? – Gabriel Borràs (Head of the Planning Dept., Catalan Water Agency, NE ): “Water reuse has an essential role in our water resource management. Used water, when treated, is not a waste product but an essential water resource” – Ramon Folch (Chair of Polytechnic University of 's Social Council and Professor of the UNESCO Chair for Sustainable Development): “If wastewater treatment plants would turn into reclamation plants we would have reclaimed water, pure and clear. We should think about it. After all, the bottled water we drink is reclaimed water too. By the natural cycle, but reclaimed. If we already do desalination, why don’t we do reclamation, which is easier”? (Excerpt from the article “Aigua llençada” (“Wasted water”), on El Periódico de Catalunya, 8th July 2007). Change of paradigm

• “Treat and dispose” is obsolete, specially in water scarce areas • Develop new resources with the least environmental impact: – Increasing limitation in water transfers (as a general rule) – Desalination plants – energy consumption & CO 2 emissions (Kyoto protocol) – Water recycling: give water a second chance • All the water used for urban supply is concentrated in one facility (useful volumes) • Most treatment before reuse is already provided by biological secondary treatment – “To get the water out the waste” • Usually useful at municipal or supramunicipal level (small to medium WWTP); only large WWTP can generate volumes with impact on the regional balance Why reclaimed water? (I)

• Today’s technology allows the production of safe water from virtually any source • A great portion of the overall water demand is for non-potable uses ⇒ Okun (1998): “only about 15% of water used in urban areas (of US) is required to be of potable quality” • It is a local resource: water is already in the vicinity of where it has to be used – possibility of decentralized supply • It is an auxiliary resource: it can save precious drinking water or water with environmental functions Why reclaimed water? (II)

• Where traditional resources have been fully used, reclaimed water may be the new resource with the least marginal cost • Safe water can be produced at reasonable costs, specially if desalination is not needed • Under certain circumstances, simultaneous energy savings can be achieved (lower CO 2 emissions, climate change)

ENERGY CONSUMPTION OF WATER SOURCES IN ,

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Consumption, kwh/m3 Consumption, 1,00

0,00 Groundwater ( Groundwater (local Desalination (in Reclaimed water wells in Blanes) wells) Blanes) (Title-22) Kind of water

Withdrawal Treatment Transportation The role of reclamation

• After urban use, water quality can be restored to a great extent, so it can be beneficially reused again instead of discharged • Reclamation is a water resource generation activity, not only an extension of the wastewater treatment • Similar function –but different scale- than a reservoir, an aquifer or a desalination plant ⇒ to produce water, despite that the purpose is not for drinking water supply • Reclamation makes wastewater treatment plants work better The reclamation treatment

• The better the quality of secondary effluent, the easier the reclamation process and the safer and consistent the activity will be - need to push performance beyond discharge limits • Disinfection is the essential process – It is aimed at reducing at safe levels the microbiological risk:

– Wide range disinfection: UV + Cl 2 – Inactivation capacity similar than concentration of indicators (= greater than the concentration of pathogens) • Preparation processes, ahead of disinfection may be needed (coagulation, flocculation, sedimentation, filtration) • Combination of disinfectants reduces chlorine doses = lower risk of THM formation. Proven results with ozone, UV, UV + chlorine. Greater removal of microorganisms and more diversity targeted (bacteria, viruses, Cryptosporidium. • On-line probes for the measurement of turbidity and residual chlorine or redox potential – great reliability to the supply ⇒ Water not fulfilling quality requirements shall not leave the facility Reclaimed water quality

• Influenced both by kind of biological and reclamation treatments

Kind of facility Reclamation plant (between brackets, year of construction) Empuriabrava (c) Castell-Platja d’Aro Blanes Wastewater treatment Extended aeration Extended aeration Conventional activated Extended aeration (1995) (1995) sludge (1983) (1998) Reclamation treatment Constructed wetlands Chlorination Filtration, disinfection “Title-22” (d) (1998) (2000) (1998) (2002)

Volume treated in 2008, m 3 1,027,000 440,000 786,000 2,127,000

Statistical parameters (a) Average P90 Average P90 Average P90 Average P90 Suspended solids, mg/L 8.5 18,9 3.5 5.0 5.4 7.8 1.7 2.4 Turbidity, NTU 2.5 3.6 1.3 1.9 2.7 4.2 1.7 2.2 Escherichia coli , cfu/100 mL 35 180 < 1 < 1 2 19 3 6 Total nitrogen, mg N/L (b) 1.5 2.4 5.9 11.4 35.9 52.0 10.4 13.2

Total phosphorus, mg P/L 5.0 6.9 4.3 6.0 4.1 5.7 1.3 1.8

(a) Annual arithmetic averages for all parameters, except for the Escherichia coli concentrations, which are geometric averages. P90 is the percentile 90 of the annual set of data. (b) In the Empuriabrava case, organic nitrogen (ammonia + nitrite + nitrate) (c) Water at the inlet of the storage pond at Golf Serres de Pals (d) The “Title-22” treatment is composed by coagulation, floculation, sedimentation, filtration and disinfection. In the case of Blanes, phosphorus is removed by chemical precipitation. Reclaimed water quality

• Influenced both by kind of biological and reclamation treatments

Kind of facility Reclamation plant (between brackets, year of construction) Empuriabrava Pals (c) Castell-Platja d’Aro Blanes Wastewater treatment Extended aeration Extended aeration Conventional activated Extended aeration (1995) (1995) sludge (1983) (1998) Reclamation treatment Constructed wetlands Chlorination Filtration, disinfection “Title-22” (d) (1998) (2000) (1998) (2002)

Volume treated in 2008, m 3 1,027,000 440,000 786,000 2,127,000

Statistical parameters (a) Average P90 Average P90 Average P90 Average P90 Suspended solids, mg/L 8.5 18,9 3.5 5.0 5.4 7.8 1.7 2.4 Turbidity, NTU 2.5 3.6 1.3 1.9 2.7 4.2 1.7 2.2 Escherichia coli , cfu/100 mL 35 180 < 1 < 1 2 19 3 6 Total nitrogen, mg N/L (b) 1.5 2.4 5.9 11.4 35.9 52.0 10.4 13.2

Total phosphorus, mg P/L 5.0 6.9 4.3 6.0 4.1 5.7 1.3 1.8

(a) Annual arithmetic averages for all parameters, except for the Escherichia coli concentrations, which are geometric averages. P90 is the percentile 90 of the annual set of data. (b) In the Empuriabrava case, organic nitrogen (ammonia + nitrite + nitrate) (c) Water at the inlet of the storage pond at Golf Serres de Pals (d) The “Title-22” treatment is composed by coagulation, floculation, sedimentation, filtration and disinfection. In the case of Blanes, phosphorus is removed by chemical precipitation. Reclaimed water quality

• Influenced both by kind of biological and reclamation treatments

Kind of facility Reclamation plant (between brackets, year of construction) Empuriabrava Pals (c) Castell-Platja d’Aro Blanes Wastewater treatment Extended aeration Extended aeration Conventional activated Extended aeration (1995) (1995) sludge (1983) (1998) Reclamation treatment Constructed wetlands Chlorination Filtration, disinfection “Title-22” (d) (1998) (2000) (1998) (2002)

Volume treated in 2008, m 3 1,027,000 440,000 786,000 2,127,000

Statistical parameters (a) Average P90 Average P90 Average P90 Average P90 Suspended solids, mg/L 8.5 18,9 3.5 5.0 5.4 7.8 1.7 2.4 Turbidity, NTU 2.5 3.6 1.3 1.9 2.7 4.2 1.7 2.2 Escherichia coli , cfu/100 mL 35 180 < 1 < 1 2 19 3 6 Total nitrogen, mg N/L (b) 1.5 2.4 5.9 11.4 35.9 52.0 10.4 13.2

Total phosphorus, mg P/L 5.0 6.9 4.3 6.0 4.1 5.7 1.3 1.8

(a) Annual arithmetic averages for all parameters, except for the Escherichia coli concentrations, which are geometric averages. P90 is the percentile 90 of the annual set of data. (b) In the Empuriabrava case, organic nitrogen (ammonia + nitrite + nitrate) (c) Water at the inlet of the storage pond at Golf Serres de Pals (d) The “Title-22” treatment is composed by coagulation, floculation, sedimentation, filtration and disinfection. In the case of Blanes, phosphorus is removed by chemical precipitation. Reclaimed water quality

• Influenced both by kind of biological and reclamation treatments

Kind of facility Reclamation plant (between brackets, year of construction) Empuriabrava Pals (c) Castell-Platja d’Aro Blanes Wastewater treatment Extended aeration Extended aeration Conventional activated Extended aeration (1995) (1995) sludge (1983) (1998) Reclamation treatment Constructed wetlands Chlorination Filtration, disinfection “Title-22” (d) (1998) (2000) (1998) (2002)

Volume treated in 2008, m 3 1,027,000 440,000 786,000 2,127,000

Statistical parameters (a) Average P90 Average P90 Average P90 Average P90 Suspended solids, mg/L 8.5 18,9 3.5 5.0 5.4 7.8 1.7 2.4 Turbidity, NTU 2.5 3.6 1.3 1.9 2.7 4.2 1.7 2.2 Escherichia coli , cfu/100 mL 35 180 < 1 < 1 2 19 3 6 Total nitrogen, mg N/L (b) 1.5 2.4 5.9 11.4 35.9 52.0 10.4 13.2

Total phosphorus, mg P/L 5.0 6.9 4.3 6.0 4.1 5.7 1.3 1.8

(a) Annual arithmetic averages for all parameters, except for the Escherichia coli concentrations, which are geometric averages. P90 is the percentile 90 of the annual set of data. (b) In the Empuriabrava case, organic nitrogen (ammonia + nitrite + nitrate) (c) Water at the inlet of the storage pond at Golf Serres de Pals (d) The “Title-22” treatment is composed by coagulation, floculation, sedimentation, filtration and disinfection. In the case of Blanes, phosphorus is removed by chemical precipitation. Reclaimed water quality

• Influenced both by kind of biological and reclamation treatments

Kind of facility Reclamation plant (between brackets, year of construction) Empuriabrava Pals (c) Castell-Platja d’Aro Blanes Wastewater treatment Extended aeration Extended aeration Conventional activated Extended aeration (1995) (1995) sludge (1983) (1998) Reclamation treatment Constructed wetlands Chlorination Filtration, disinfection “Title-22” (d) (1998) (2000) (1998) (2002)

Volume treated in 2008, m 3 1,027,000 440,000 786,000 2,127,000

Statistical parameters (a) Average P90 Average P90 Average P90 Average P90 Suspended solids, mg/L 8.5 18,9 3.5 5.0 5.4 7.8 1.7 2.4 Turbidity, NTU 2.5 3.6 1.3 1.9 2.7 4.2 1.7 2.2 Escherichia coli , cfu/100 mL 35 180 < 1 < 1 2 19 3 6 Total nitrogen, mg N/L (b) 1.5 2.4 5.9 11.4 35.9 52.0 10.4 13.2

Total phosphorus, mg P/L 5.0 6.9 4.3 6.0 4.1 5.7 1.3 1.8

(a) Annual arithmetic averages for all parameters, except for the Escherichia coli concentrations, which are geometric averages. P90 is the percentile 90 of the annual set of data. (b) In the Empuriabrava case, organic nitrogen (ammonia + nitrite + nitrate) (c) Water at the inlet of the storage pond at Golf Serres de Pals (d) The “Title-22” treatment is composed by coagulation, floculation, sedimentation, filtration and disinfection. In the case of Blanes, phosphorus is removed by chemical precipitation. Reclaimed water quality

• Influenced both by kind of biological and reclamation treatments

Kind of facility Reclamation plant (between brackets, year of construction) Empuriabrava Pals (c) Castell-Platja d’Aro Blanes Wastewater treatment Extended aeration Extended aeration Conventional activated Extended aeration (1995) (1995) sludge (1983) (1998) Reclamation treatment Constructed wetlands Chlorination Filtration, disinfection “Title-22” (d) (1998) (2000) (1998) (2002)

Volume treated in 2008, m 3 1,027,000 440,000 786,000 2,127,000

Statistical parameters (a) Average P90 Average P90 Average P90 Average P90 Suspended solids, mg/L 8.5 18,9 3.5 5.0 5.4 7.8 1.7 2.4 Turbidity, NTU 2.5 3.6 1.3 1.9 2.7 4.2 1.7 2.2 Escherichia coli , cfu/100 mL 35 180 < 1 < 1 2 19 3 6 Total nitrogen, mg N/L (b) 1.5 2.4 5.9 11.4 35.9 52.0 10.4 13.2

Total phosphorus, mg P/L 5.0 6.9 4.3 6.0 4.1 5.7 1.3 1.8

(a) Annual arithmetic averages for all parameters, except for the Escherichia coli concentrations, which are geometric averages. P90 is the percentile 90 of the annual set of data. (b) In the Empuriabrava case, organic nitrogen (ammonia + nitrite + nitrate) (c) Water at the inlet of the storage pond at Golf Serres de Pals (d) The “Title-22” treatment is composed by coagulation, floculation, sedimentation, filtration and disinfection. In the case of Blanes, phosphorus is removed by chemical precipitation. Reclaimed water quality

• Influenced both by kind of biological and reclamation treatments

Kind of facility Reclamation plant (between brackets, year of construction) Empuriabrava Pals (c) Castell-Platja d’Aro Blanes Wastewater treatment Extended aeration Extended aeration Conventional activated Extended aeration (1995) (1995) sludge (1983) (1998) Reclamation treatment Constructed wetlands Chlorination Filtration, disinfection “Title-22” (d) (1998) (2000) (1998) (2002)

Volume treated in 2008, m 3 1,027,000 440,000 786,000 2,127,000

Statistical parameters (a) Average P90 Average P90 Average P90 Average P90 Suspended solids, mg/L 8.5 18,9 3.5 5.0 5.4 7.8 1.7 2.4 Turbidity, NTU 2.5 3.6 1.3 1.9 2.7 4.2 1.7 2.2 Escherichia coli , cfu/100 mL 35 180 < 1 < 1 2 19 3 6 Total nitrogen, mg N/L (b) 1.5 2.4 5.9 11.4 35.9 52.0 10.4 13.2

Total phosphorus, mg P/L 5.0 6.9 4.3 6.0 4.1 5.7 1.3 1.8

(a) Annual arithmetic averages for all parameters, except for the Escherichia coli concentrations, which are geometric averages. P90 is the percentile 90 of the annual set of data. (b) In the Empuriabrava case, organic nitrogen (ammonia + nitrite + nitrate) (c) Water at the inlet of the storage pond at Golf Serres de Pals (d) The “Title-22” treatment is composed by coagulation, floculation, sedimentation, filtration and disinfection. In the case of Blanes, phosphorus is removed by chemical precipitation. Disinfection: Turning effluents into reclaimed water

• Main process in the reclamation treatment, designed for public health protection • Initial unfavourable situation: treated wastewater still has a high microbiological load and pathogens may be present – disinfection efforts need to be even greater than those applied at drinking water • It is necessary to keep up with the protection of public health achieved by collecting wastewater in sewer lines and taking it to WWTP • Requirements: – Efficiency : microorganisms (indicator and pathogens) shall be inactivated at the required level – Consistency : such efficiency shall be achieved throughout the time and under changing situations (flows, qualities) – Wide range : inactivation shall affect different types of microorganisms Evaluation of disinfection performance

• Measured through the reduction Indicator Pathogens of the concentrations of microorganisms indicator microorganisms Faecal coliforms, Salmonella, Shigella Escherichia coli • Main properties of indicator Bacteriophages Enteroviruses microorganisms (different types) – Have the same origin as the Spores of sulfite- Oocysts of Giardia, pathogen reducing clostridia Cryptosporidium ---- Parasitic heminth eggs – Be in greater concentrations – Be more resistant – Be easier to cultivate • A certain inactivation level of indicator microorganisms will at least cause a similar degree of inactivation in pathogenic microorganisms Disinfection capacity at the Tossa de Mar UV light (I)

• Emission of light in the UV section of the wavelenght spectrum that damages organisms’ DNA. • No chemicals added, no residual effect – impossible to forecast exposure’s results • Greater removal of sporulated microorganisms than that achieved by chemical agents (i.e., WRP Blanes spores of sulfite-reducing clostridia, Cryptosporidiumspp. oocysts) • UV doses depend on: – Emitted light - intensity – Flow – Transmitance of water at 254 nm WRP Colera – Degree of cleanness / dirtiness of lamps’ quartz shields – Age of lamps WRP Torroella de • Many factors can affect the ouput – unless we Montgrí have an oversized facility, results will have a certain degree of variability Disinfection at the Castell-Platja d’Aro WRP (I)

Reclamation treatment: Sand filtration and combined disinfection UV + chlorine UV disinfection Disinfection at the Castell-Platja d’Aro WRP (II)

Reclamation treatment: Sand filtration and combined disinfection UV + chlorine UV disinfection + chlorine Chlorine

• Oxidizing chemical agent that damages cell structures, causing inactivation of organisms • Low inactivation efficiency for microorganisms forming spores or oocysts • Detection of residual chlorine allows the monitoring of the disinfection process WRP Pals and preservers water quality. • Relatively simple operation • Doses adjusted easily

WRP Llançà Disinfection at the Pals WRP

Chlorination Successful water reuse projects in Spain

• Agricultural irrigation – Vitoria, Spain: Since 1996, Title-22 treatment for 35,000 m 3/day to be used for high value crops, some to be eaten raw and exported abroad. No adverse health effects reported. Increase in farmers’ standard of living => from dry farming (EU subsidies) to modernized agriculture (business mentality). 7,000,000 m3 reservoir only for the storage of winter reclaimed water already constructed.

Photos by courtesy of TYTSA, Vitoria Successful water reuse projects in Spain

• Golf course irrigation – Costa del Sol, Málaga, Spain: 6 reclamation plants on operation. Peak production of 66,000 m 3/day of disinfected effluents supplied to 34 golf courses (= 7.0 million m 3/year). Future: 21 existing golf courses to be retrofitted with reclaimed water, expected need estimated at 24 million m 3/year. Successful water reuse projects in Spain

• Landscape irrigation and urban non-potable uses – Madrid, Spain: 2.14 m 3/s of reclaimed water (Title-22 treatment train, Turbidity < 1.5 NTU, FC < 20 cfu/100 ml) to be reused for the irrigation of 17 urban parks (3700 ha) through 108 km of pipelines. Capital costs: 145 million €. Potable water savings, 22.7 million m3/year. Partially in operation: 4.26 million m 3/year supplied through the “Red Centro” (Central Network) to irrigate 637 ha of parks and landscaped areas. The growing need for indirect potable reuse

• Main advantages: – No distribution facilities needed (lower investment costs) – Whole year operation, not just in a particular season (i.e., as happens with irrigation) – Residence time in aquifer and dilution with natural water improve quality; identity is lost – Much better option than the traditional –and surprisingly well accepted!!- indirect potable reuse due to the Unplanned indirect potable reuse: discharge of secondary discharge of secondary effluent, usually non-disinfected treated wastewater. effluents, runoffs and urban Graphic by courtesy of Dr. Andreas Angelakis. stormwaters to rivers and streams Successful water reuse projects in Spain

• Aquifer recharge – Blanes, Costa Brava, Spain: Since 2003, approx. 3.0 million m3/year of denitrified, Title-22 reclaimed water are used for the recharge of the lower Tordera aquifer. Part of a larger plan designed by Catalan Water Agency to improve the condition of the lower Tordera aquifer that includes desalination for a portion of domestic supply (in operation since 2002) and promotion of internal recycling in the local industries.

Photos by courtesy of Consorci de la Costa Brava Successful water reuse projects in Spain

• Aquifer recharge, agricultural irrigation and environmental reuse – Baix Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain: 30 million m 3/year project for the delivery of high quality reclaimed water for several uses in the Baix Llobregat area, south of Barcelona. In operation since summer 2006, flows have been used for streamflow augmentation in the Llobregat river and for seawater intrusion control.

Photos by courtesy of the Catalan Water Agency Successful water reuse projects in Belgium

• Aquifer recharge for drinking water production: UF, RO and UV disinfection prior to percolation in sandy aquifer (dunes) – multi-barrier approach. Production: 2 million m 3/year (70% of annual drinking water demand) with energy consumption approx. 0.6 kWh/m 3. Electrical conductivity in groundwater has decreased from 0.7 to 0.3 dS/m.

Flanders, Belgium: www.techneau.org/fileadmin/files/Publications/Publications/ Low per capita water Presentations/Workshop_NF_UF/van-Houtte.pdf resources! Conclusions (I)

• Given the future challenges in many parts of the world (demand growth, pollution, potential impact of climate change), a more rational and accurate management of water resources is needed. • Treated wastewater offers an opportunity for the development of a new resource to safely cope with non-potable demands and/or to improve the management of the overall water cycle. Santa Clotilde Gardens, • Public health protection needs to be strictly , Costa Brava, observed since it is one of the key Spain, irrigated with reclaimed water since May elements in water reclamation and reuse 2007. projects. Conclusions (II)

• Practical experience on reclamation and reuse is available in many parts of the world for a great variety of uses which improve the situation of water resources, from local to regional level. • Increasing trend in the development of water reuse projects even in unexpected areas like Flanders • A sound policy is needed to help these water recycling projects succeed, since Tossa Creek, Tossa de Mar, Costa Brava, Spain, they can improve people’s standard of Streamflow augmentation with reclaimed water for living and the quality of their local ecological purposes, June 2007. environment. Thank you for your attention…

Questions?