To help local governments facing challenges in adopting reuse policies, especially in communities in drought-prone regions with limited water resources, GE Water & Process Technologies issued a white paper, “Addressing Water Scarcity through Recycling and Reuse.” The paper focuses on policy options to address public perception issues, costs and existing, conflicting standards governing water reuse. It also includes examples of various water recycling and reuse policies and programs in place in the U.S. and elsewhere.
Education and outreach, removing barriers, incentives, and mandates and regulations are the four key policy areas outlined in the report:
- Public education and outreach campaigns address concerns about the safety and quality of recycled water, the condition of a community’s water supply and how water recycling can stretch supplies to allow for local growth.
- Barriers to implementing water recycling include building and plumbing codes; stringent permitting and inspection requirements; incentives and subsidies for projects that consume large amounts of water; and state and federal requirements.
- Examples of incentives include pricing schemes, subsidies, low-interest loans, credits and regulatory exemptions.
- Communities facing severe water restrictions can use mandates and regulations to require the use of recycled water.
The report is available at www.gewater.com/misc/waterreuse.html.