5 Updates in the Water Reuse Technology Industry

Water is one of the most precious substances in the world, so it is only natural that we should try to reuse it as much as possible. While the water cycle ensures that all water eventually gets reused, it happens too slow to be useful on its own in many parts of the world. Humans have risen to the challenge and developed plenty of technological solutions to help reuse water at a more reasonable rate. The industry is still evolving, so there have been plenty of recent developments that are helping to deal with water shortages by making it quicker and easier to reuse water.

1- Greywater Recycling

Greywater refers to the water that has been used for cooking, washing, and any other use that does not contaminate it with fecal matter. It makes up a huge percentage of the wasted water in most homes and businesses, so recycling it is a priority for environmentalists.

There are treatment plants that handle greywater, and they have been expanding in the past few years, but many of the innovations in this area focus on home systems. There are plenty of companies that have developed treatment tanks and other methods that can be used in the home to purify greywater. There are also systems that simply collect it for reuse without treatment for special applications, such as watering gardens. All of these methods greatly reduce water waste and can even save money for homeowners in the long run by cutting down on the water bill.

2- Recycling Gas Extraction Wastewater

The companies that extract natural gas and oil use a huge amount of water during their work. That water picks up a huge number of minerals and other contaminants, which makes it unusable for humans. Simply dumping it out can cause environmental problems, so the wastewater has been a problem for the industry for a long time. Researchers have recently made progress on solving that problem.

The systems are designed to purify water to the point where it can be used for resource extraction once again, so it focuses on removing the chemicals and bacteria that can cause damage to machinery. That can vary from one site to the next, so the treatments are modular by necessity.

3- New Purification Methods

Purification is fairly complicated, but it is also a vital step for getting water into usable condition. Researchers are constantly working on new ways to filter and disinfect water, both so that they can do it more quickly and so they can reduce the cost of doing so.

Microfiltration is one of the most promising options. As with all filters, it works by forcing water through a porous material where the holes are too small for contaminants to fit. The pores in a microfiltration membrane are so small that they can even trap some bacteria and parasites, which is useful for dealing with those that are resistant to other disinfection methods.

UV disinfection is another leading technology. Workers blast the water with UV light, which breaks down the DNA and nucleic acids inside the bacteria. That stops them from performing basic life functions, so they die out shortly after the treatment. This method is actually fairly old, but the recent technology has driven the cost down to the point where it is a viable choice in some environments.

4- Groundwater Replenishment

Many regions are struggling with groundwater depletion. Some water treatment plants have started to fight the problem by pumping treated water back into the ground to replenish aquifers. That helps to keep the environment in good shape while ensuring that humans have control over their own water supply.

5- Expanded Support

All of this change is possible because more and more people are starting to realize the importance of protecting our water supply. That is leading to more funding for research, which in turn makes the industry much more effective. Many areas are also turning to water reuse to fight against droughts, and that increase in demand also means that more money is becoming available. This trend is going to continue for quite some time unless society undergoes radical changes, so it is safe to assume that the technology will continue to change and improve.