Integration of Urban and Rural Water Resources Management

Friedler E. (2001) - Wastewater Reuse - Integration of urban and rural water resources management.

Procc. Symp. “Frontiers for Urban Water Management, Deadlock or hope ?” UNESCO – International Hydrological Programme, Marseille, 2001.pp. 92-98.

ABSTRACT

Scarcity of water is increasing globally mainly due to population growth, which leads to increasing agricultural demand. Treated wastewater can be considered as a ‘new’ resource that can substitute conventional water used for irrigation. This resource can be added to a regional water balance and integrated with its conventional water resources. The paper discusses the introduction of reclaimed wastewater in water-short and water-abundant countries, its contribution to the protection of water resources in particular and environmental protection in general. Further, it describes the benefits derived by the urban and rural sectors from agricultural wastewater reuse in water-short countries, and suggests a feasible beneficial agricultural wastewater reuse scheme for water-abundant countries.