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The Potential use of Reclaimed Water for Irrigation Purposes: Is it Overestimated?

Author

Listed:
  • Alfonso Expósito

    (University of Malaga)

  • Esther Díaz-Cano

    (University of Cordoba)

  • Julio Berbel

    (University of Cordoba)

Abstract

The use of reclaimed water is expected to increase in the coming years, mainly in water-scarce areas. In the European Union (EU), an increase in the use of reclaimed water is expected to play a significant role within the European circular economy strategy and climate change adaptation policies with the aim to enhance overall sustainability of water resource management. While several institutions have offered estimations of the potential of reclaimed water reuse in the EU context, these estimations tend to overestimate potential reuse volumes since they fail to fully consider the following important issues: (a) the role of return flows in basins where cascade reuse is crucial in maintaining downstream uses (including ecological flows); (b) the availability of abundant (and cheaper) conventional resources; and (c) the economic productivity of water as an indicator of users’ willingness to pay for reclaimed water. This study focuses on the Spanish case since this is currently the EU member state with the highest potential for reclaimed water reuse. Findings show that previous estimations of reusable water volumes in Spain may have overestimated potential volumes. The proposed analysis can be extrapolated to other EU regions, where realistic estimations of the potential of reclaimed water might be much needed.

Suggested Citation

  • Alfonso Expósito & Esther Díaz-Cano & Julio Berbel, 2024. "The Potential use of Reclaimed Water for Irrigation Purposes: Is it Overestimated?," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 38(12), pages 4541-4554, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:waterr:v:38:y:2024:i:12:d:10.1007_s11269-024-03878-w
    DOI: 10.1007/s11269-024-03878-w
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. M. Molinos-Senante & F. Hernandez-Sancho & R. Sala-Garrido, 2013. "Tariffs and Cost Recovery in Water Reuse," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 27(6), pages 1797-1808, April.
    2. Lautze, Jonathan & Stander, E. & Drechsel, Pay & da Silva, A. K. & Keraita, B., 2014. "Global experiences in water reuse," IWMI Books, Reports H046593, International Water Management Institute.
    3. Hristov, Jordan & Barreiro-Hurle, Jesus & Salputra, Guna & Blanco, Maria & Witzke, Peter, 2021. "Reuse of treated water in European agriculture: Potential to address water scarcity under climate change," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 251(C).
    4. Javier Martínez-Dalmau & Carlos Gutiérrez-Martín & Alfonso Expósito & Julio Berbel, 2023. "Analysis of Water Pricing Policy Effects in a Mediterranean Basin Through a Hydroeconomic Model," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 37(4), pages 1599-1618, March.
    5. Alfonso Expósito & Julio Berbel, 2017. "Why Is Water Pricing Ineffective for Deficit Irrigation Schemes? A Case Study in Southern Spain," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 31(3), pages 1047-1059, February.
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