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Water reuse is one of the most sustainable water augmentation option to cope up with the high water demands of the developing communities globally. It has several additional benefits such as nutrient recovery, economic gains and environmental benefits. Even though, water reuse is economical and sustainable, its practical implementation at a wide scale has many technical, social, institutional and regulatory challenges, especially in developing countries like India. In India, there is a scarcity of stringent national regulations and guidelines for the safe implementation of wastewater reuse systems. In this study, the assessment of the existing regulatory framework for treated wastewater reuse is done to understand the need of current and future policy interventions and recommendations are made based on expert consultation. The legal assessment highlights the importance of consultation, communication and education in the development of an effective regulatory structure. The analysis of the expert reviews suggests inclusion of policy directives based on funding sources and technical infrastructure to support the growth of water reuse in India.

The growing interest in alternative water supplies is impelling societies, government bodies and industries throughout the world to conduct research and discuss the feasibility of reuse of treated wastewater. Treated wastewater has emerged as an affordable source of water supply worldwide. Designing of wastewater reuse systems involves consideration of multiple criteria such as technical, social, economic, environmental, legal as well as multiple stakeholders. The objective of the present study is to develop a multi‐criteria decision‐making (MCDM) approach using Analytical Hierarchical Process (AHP) for the selection of significant criteria and sub‐criteria governing the planning and execution of water reuse systems considering the local conditions and end users. The weightage of the individual parameters is obtained. The results indicate that the weightage of different criteria varies for different stakeholders. The analysis may help in developing a holistic approach for reuse of treated wastewater inducing improved decision‐making at authoritative levels.

Water availability is facing crisis throughout the world because of various factors viz., population growth, climate change, and rapid urbanization, leading to the requirement of treated wastewater as an additional source of water supply. However, the actual amount of wastewater that may be reused depends on many factors such as water demand, availability, cost and social acceptability, etc. In this study, a linear programming model has been developed to identify the amount of treated wastewater that may be used for various applications subject to water availability and demand constraints, taking Delhi city as a case study. The results suggest that wastewater reuse has the maximum potential in agriculture and landscape irrigation use followed by domestic and industrial applications. The framework developed in the study provides useful information for integrated planning and management of the reuse of wastewater in order to augment the existing water supply. It may be modified and used for the estimation of wastewater reuse potential in other areas with similar conditions.

The availability of freshwater is evolving as a serious threat to the living community throughout the world due to rapid industrialization, urbanization, and rising population. The depletion of groundwater due to excessive water withdrawal and reduced recharge and pollution of the water sources also contributes to this water crisis. The rising pressure on water supplies encourages the use of treated wastewater as an alternative resource. In this study, a global outlook of the developments in water reuse is presented with a focus on the Indian scenario. It can be observed that though there is a scope for water reuse in India owing to the generation of a high volume of wastewater, it is often squandered due to limited research and guidance, and unreliable institutional framework. It is suggested that the reuse of wastewater requires the development of an integrated approach considering all the factors related to technical feasibility, financial viability, and social acceptance together with a guiding management structure that may augment the existing water supplies. HIGHLIGHTS Provides an overview of factors influencing water reuse throughout the world.; Discusses regional challenges with regard to the implementation of water reuse schemes worldwide.; Provides insight to the existing reuse scenario and future opportunities in India.