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Expanding the reuse of treated wastewater for beneficial purposes such as irrigation, industrial use, and drinking water augmentation could significantly increase the nation’s total available water resources. This report describes treatment options to mitigate water quality issues in reclaimed water, and presents new analysis suggesting that the risk of exposure to certain microbial and chemical contaminants from the consumption of reclaimed water does not appear to be any higher than the risk experienced in some current drinking water treatment systems, and may be orders of magnitude lower....
Expanding the reuse of treated wastewater for beneficial purposes such as irrigation, industrial use, and drinking water augmentation could significantly increase the nation’s total available water resources. This report describes treatment options to mitigate water quality issues in reclaimed water, and presents new analysis suggesting that the risk of exposure to certain microbial and chemical contaminants from the consumption of reclaimed water does not appear to be any higher than the risk experienced in some current drinking water treatment systems, and may be orders of magnitude lower. The report recommends adjustments to the federal regulatory framework to enhance public health protection for both planned and unplanned (or de facto) reuse and to increase public confidence in water reuse. A 12-page summary of the report is also available (ISBN: 978-0-309-26520-1).