Background
Water is not a renewable resource; in fact, in many areas of the world, water quantities are insufficient to meet community needs. Water quality is also critically important. The predictable effects of a changing global climate are likely to make the sustainable water quantity-quality balance even more important. Many communities will need to rely on water sources with impaired quality. In addition the water-food-energy nexus requires a special attention and management strategies.
The escalating costs of clean water and much higher discharge standards are forcing industries to seek cost-effective advanced methods to treat wastewater for reuse. Industries also seek higher efficiency approaches to produce water of desired quality for use in production operations. With growing concern regarding emerging contaminants (ECs) in the public and scientific communities, and possible regulation in the future (Ireland’s EPA has begun to regulate ECs in industrial wastewater), the need for new solutions and technology is likely to grow tremendously. According to World Water Council reports, estimates of residential water consumption will likely increase by 100 percent and industrial utilization by 33 percent by 2025. Increasing water stresses brought on by more frequent and prolonged droughts in many areas of the U.S. has triggered the need for water reuse, requiring advanced wastewater treatment. Some areas use treated wastewater for groundwater replenishment, requiring advanced treatment to attain high purity levels. In addition, population growth and tighter regulations or anticipated regulations linked to USEPA CCL, ECs, microplastics and other contaminants will lead to increased demand for wastewater treatment technologies.