Any schoolchild learning about the water cycle knows water is constantly reused, but water reuse at an industrial scale regularly prompts a response that is out of kilter with this reality.
Why water reuse matters more than ever
Many parts of the world, including the UK, are grappling with the requirement for water reuse for the first time as a result of shifting populations, ageing infrastructure and climate change. Closer to home, environmental protection and net-zero targets are a core focus of Asset Management Period 8 (AMP8) – the UK water industry's regulatory investment cycle running from April 2025 to March 2030. Utilities are therefore increasingly expected to have strict compliance mechanisms in place, with financial penalties paired with short timelines to catalyse adoption.
From reducing storm overflow events to meeting tighter nutrient limits for phosphorus and nitrogen, as well as reducing forever chemicals and preparing for emerging contaminants – companies are doing this while facing an already stretched compliance environment. These challenges mean everything must happen more quickly than traditional infrastructure delivery models currently provide. Australia and Spain are key leaders in the reuse space, with the U.S. rapidly accelerating its efforts – and global shifts mean it’s time for the rest of the world to catch up.
Data centres could require 6.6 billion cubic metres of water by 2027, equivalent to almost two-thirds of England's annual consumption
Globally, the market is shifting from a traditional “take-use-discharge” model toward a circular water economy, where wastewater is increasingly viewed as a recoverable resource rather than a disposal challenge. This shift is accelerating investment in advanced treatment trains capable of converting municipal and industrial wastewater into high-quality reuse water suitable for agriculture, industry and, increasingly, potable applications.
The case for regulated reuse is made stronger still by the wave of data centres that are springing up across the globe. They are water-hungry, and are increasingly planned for locales with significant water stress, like the southeast England. While there are no accurate usage forecasts for AI’s water requirements, estimates can be stark. Data centres could require 6.6 billion cubic metres of water globally by 2027, equivalent to almost two-thirds of England’s annual consumption, and this is set against rising scarcity. Developing closed loop water recycling technology can support the rise in computing capability while minimising water demands on the environment.
The technical barriers and opportunities associated with water reuse
Membrane technologies are becoming increasingly central to advanced treatment strategies. Membrane bioreactors (MBR), ultrafiltration (UF), reverse osmosis (RO) and advanced oxidation processes are being combined into multi-barrier treatment trains capable of producing exceptionally high-quality recycled water. These technologies are no longer niche solutions. Declining membrane costs, improved energy efficiency and modular manufacturing approaches are making advanced reuse systems commercially viable at a far wider range of scales.
With modular, factory-built solutions, a new water treatment works can be completed in six months, down from a traditional four years
The combination of biological treatment, membrane filtration, RO, UV disinfection and advanced oxidation creates multiple independent barriers that collectively deliver water quality standards that can exceed many conventional raw water sources. Regardless of application, successful water reuse is – of course – a technical matter, requiring high-quality equipment to meet regulator-mandated clean water standards. In the UK, it is important that regulators provide a clearer view on quality limits for drinking water.
Robust quality standards doesn’t mean infrastructure deployment needs to move slowly, however. Historically, it took around four years to design, build, and commission a new water treatment works; including typically two years of on-site work. Today, by shifting to modular, factory-built solutions, we can complete that same build in just six months; delivery and install in three months and commissioning in three months.
Our systems can also allow factories to achieve closed-loop recycling – ultimately moving toward zero liquid discharge – or help municipalities to reclaim wastewater for irrigation, street cleaning, and other non-potable needs. As water becomes an increasingly valuable commodity, innovative reuse rises up the value chain.
Public perception barriers and opportunities associated with water reuse
Increasing water reuse requires public trust in the quality of drinking water – even when reuse plans don’t directly relate to potable water – and informed understanding of the pressures the system is under.
Water reuse and desalination should not be viewed as competing technologies. Increasingly, resilient water strategies combine both approaches, using desalination for drought resilience and recycled water for sustainable baseload supply and environmental protection.
Water reuse can be an important part of the solution, but this will require investment from water companies, backed by regulator courage
The realities of system pressures can be lost in understandable cost-of-living discourse, and the fact that UK water bills are rising at the fastest rate since 2005. The picture in the U.S. is no better; the American Water Works Association predicts that bills stateside could more than double as a result of required infrastructure investment. It would push 30.4 million households above the 2.5% income affordability threshold.
We will not inspire people by wringing our hands, instead we must celebrate the engineering that can drive effective water reuse, ultimately keeping everyone’s taps open. This industry and government need to communicate cohesively and effectively about our water systems is an underweighted part of the task ahead. If consumers believe they are getting a sub-standard product against this cost backdrop, it is a recipe for disaster.
We’ve long known that there isn’t enough potable water for our planet’s population and the significant new projects planned. Water reuse can be an important part of the solution, but this will require investment from water companies, backed by regulator courage. None of it exists in a vacuum either. The unfair stigma that water reuse attracts in public consciousness needs to be tackled head-on.
Waiting for change is not a strategy. We now have the technology, expertise and a proven cost-effective methodology that can enable a new era of effective water reuse, but we do not yet have the political and regulator will, and the associated public support to deliver it at the scale required.
