Urban Rainwater Harvesting and
Water Reuse
A review of potential benefits and current UK practices
FR/G0006
January 2008
1
Introduction
Water recycling and reuse have been receiving growing interest from
politicians, planners and the general public in the “wet and
water rich” UK. In drier and more “water
scarce” regions of the world the practice of recycling and
reusing water, particularly for crop irrigation, has been commonplace
and a necessity for many decades. Globally it is estimated that 70-80%
of all freshwater used by mankind is for crop irrigation and that 10%
of the world’s population consumes crops irrigated by reused
wastewater (WHO 2006a). However, in the UK it is the sustainability of
current water use in our modern urban way of life, particularly our
in-building, “personal water footprint” and
recreational garden watering that is now being questioned by both a
more environmentally concerned public and those responsible for long
term urban planning and development.
There are several reasons for this increasing interest in urban water
use and reuse. These are described in section 2, “The natural
water cycle and water resources” and section 5,
“Policy and drivers for reuse”. They include a
global trend for national and international migration of population
from rural to urban living, with per capita water use amplified by city
wealth creation. Recent media attention on climate change has also
increased concern that previously infrequent droughts may become a
regular or seasonal constraint on home urban water use. This may be
perceived as more disruptive to urban life than constraints on the more
distant irrigation of crops in the international food supply chain.
This Guide is intended for readers interested in the topic of water
reclamation, recycling and reuse for non-potable urban applications It
provides an introduction to: -
- The natural water cycle and drivers to supplement this with
rainwater harvesting, water reclamation, recycling and reuse systems.
- Regulations and guidelines on water reuse, that have been
written in a global and international context, highlighting those that
currently apply to the UK with a particular emphasis on non-potable
urban applications.
- Technologies currently available for non-potable, urban
water reclamation.
- Examples of water reclamation, recycling and water reuse
systems with a particular emphasis on UK practice for non-potable urban
applications.
- Sources of detailed information for those planning to
implement water reclamation, recycling and reuse systems in a UK urban
environment.
The Guide does not cover in any detail, water reuse for agricultural
and industrial purposes as there are many specific regulations and
guidelines for these sectors, nor does the Guide cover large municipal
scale indirect potable water reuse schemes which are often subject to
specific large scale planning studies.
Copies of this Guide are available from the Foundation, price
£15.00, less 20% for FWR members.
View the
full Guide