Main system
Water
Securing, treating and reusing water as rainfall patterns shift and demand from cities, farms and industry grows.
Water security, treatment and desalination
Treated wastewater reuse
Cleaning wastewater to a standard where it can be used again, for farms, industry or rivers.
The problem
Growing demand and drier seasons put pressure on rivers and aquifers, while treated wastewater is often simply discharged.
Approach01
How it works
The level of treatment depends on the use, from irrigation to topping up drinking-water sources.
Wastewater goes through further treatment beyond what discharge would need.
The treated water is matched to a use, such as irrigation, cooling or groundwater recharge.
Quality is monitored continuously against the standard for that use.
Limitations02
Where it falls short
Extra treatment uses energy and adds cost.
Public acceptance can be a hurdle, especially for drinking-water uses.
New pipes may be needed to bring the water to where it's used.
At a glance
Where it fits.
- Main system
- Water
- Also shapes
- Food & Land, Energy
- Used in
- Reusing water in an industrial park
How solutions are sourced and reviewed is set out in our methodology.
System and projects
In practice.
Treating and sharing water between neighbouring sites so less is drawn from rivers.
Factories close together can pass treated water from one process to another instead of each drawing fresh supply.
Your questions, answered.
Quick answers about the platform and its content.
A technology or approach that addresses a specific problem in one or more systems, from heat pumps to land shared between farming and solar.
Only where a maturity stage is defined and backed by sources. We don't estimate one.
Always. Every solution lists where it falls short, alongside what it addresses and how it works.
To cover every system, from technologies like heat pumps and batteries to changes in how land, water and materials are used.
From published research and practice. Every entry is reviewed by people who know the field and linked to the systems, solutions and projects it relates to.
