| International Council members spearhead national water reuse project
AWWA Articles

International Council members spearhead national water reuse project

A collaboration among members of the International Council (IC) of the American Water Works Association’s (AWWA) has progressed to an action within the National Water Reuse Action Plan.

National Water Reuse Action PlanThe Water Reuse Action Plan, known as WRAP, was developed by partners across the water sector, including AWWA, to address climate-caused challenges many communities are facing to meet their long-term water needs. 

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) began facilitating WRAP’s development in February 2019 to leverage and integrate the expertise of industry and government. It released its first collaborative action plan in February 2020. 

The new Action 11.3, Develop and Highlight Case Studies Relevant to International Contexts, was recently launched by IC members Clementine Stip with World Bank Group and Dr. Rabia Chaudhry of the EPA. It is intended to develop and share case studies of successful water reuse projects relevant for underserved communities in the United States and internationally.

There are currently more than 100 organizations partnering on 50 actions in the WRAP to drive progress by addressing barriers to water reuse. AWWA collaborates on a number of these actions.

Dr. Rabia Chaudhry“Action 11.3 leverages the World Bank and EPA networks to develop case studies that provide solutions for underserved communities related to technical, financial and institutional aspects for centralized and decentralized water reuse systems,” said Chaudhry, national water reuse expert at EPA. 

“The goal of publicly sharing these curated experiences on both the EPA and World Bank websites is to exchange knowledge and develop connections among water planners, service providers, agricultural stakeholders and other water users facing similar climate resilience challenges,” she added. 

Clementine StipStip, a World Bank Group water sector specialist for West and Central Africa, said water reuse is often dismissed in resource-constrained communities in spite of its benefits for agricultural, non-potable and potable uses.

“Underserved communities in the United States and middle-income countries can mutually benefit by exchanging examples of innovative water reuse solutions that reflect their shared experiences,” she said.

“Case studies documented by the EPA, World Bank and other action partners will document innovative approaches taken by underserved communities to leverage water reuse for resilience,” Stip added. “This knowledge, tailored to their shared contexts, will highlight examples of how innovative financing and incentive mechanisms were used to conserve freshwater resources through water reuse.” 

Partners for the project include the World Bank Group, EPA, AWWA, the International Water Management Institute, the U.S. Department of State, CDM Smith, Jacobs, Stantec, GHD, and Xylem. 

The WRAP online platform provides the latest information on WRAP actions. AWWA also has information on its Reuse resource page.
 

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement