Towards the definition of treatment wetland pathogen log reduction credits.

Treatment wetlands have the potential to treat a range of water and wastewater pollutants while using less energy and chemicals than conventional treatment processes, making them a viable option for improving the sustainability of water treatment systems. However, water treatment systems used for water reuse must also be protective of human health. To date, the human health protection benefits of treatment wetlands have not been rigorously quantified in the context of current human health risk frameworks.

A unit process log reduction database for water reuse practitioners.

Pathogen reduction for the purpose of human health protection is a critical function provided by water reuse systems. Pathogen reduction performance potential is dependent on a wide range of design and operational parameters. Poor understanding of pathogen reduction performance has important consequences-under treatment can jeopardize human health, while over treatment can lead to unnecessary costs and environmental impacts.

Onsite Non-potable Reuse for Large Buildings: Environmental and Economic Suitability as a Function of Building Characteristics and Location.

Onsite non-potable reuse (NPR) is a way for buildings to conserve water using onsite sources for uses like toilet flushing, laundry and irrigation. Although early case study results are promising, aspects like system suitability, cost and environmental performance remain difficult to quantify and compare across broad geographic contexts and variable system configurations. In this study, we evaluate four NPR system types - rainwater harvesting (RWH), air-conditioning condensate harvesting (ACH), and source-separated graywater and mixed wastewater membrane bioreactors (GWMBR, WWMBR) - in terms of their ability to satisfy onsite non-potable demand, their environmental impacts and their economic cost.

Human Health, Economic and Environmental Assessment of Onsite Non-Potable Water Reuse Systems for a Large, Mixed-Use Urban Building.

Onsite non-potable reuse (NPR) is being increasingly considered as a viable option to address water scarcity and infrastructure challenges, particularly at the building scale. However, there are a range of possible treatment technologies, source water options, and treatment system sizes, each with its unique costs and benefits. While demonstration projects are proving that these systems can be technologically feasible and protective of public health, little guidance exists for identifying systems that balance public health protection with environmental and economic performance.