Recycling and reuse of water
Also called: Wastewater reuse · Topic: Water Resources of India: Availability, Use and Conservation · NCERT: Class 12, Ch 4 "Water Resources"
Meaning
Recycling and reuse of water means using lower-quality water for jobs that do not need clean water. Treated wastewater can cool machines in industries and be used to fight fires. Water from bathing and the kitchen can be used to water gardens. This saves good-quality freshwater for drinking. It matters in India because the demand for water keeps rising while the supply of usable freshwater stays limited.
Example
In a water-short city such as Chennai, where the main reservoirs dried up in June 2019, a factory can use treated sewage water for cooling. Homes can use their kitchen water on gardens. This leaves more reservoir and groundwater for drinking.
Don't confuse with
- Desalination: it makes seawater fit to use by removing salt. Recycling cleans water that people have already used.
Related concepts
- Water conservation and management
- Desalination
- National Water Policy 2012
- Jal Kranti Abhiyan
- Jal Jeevan Mission
- Atal Bhujal Yojana
- Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain
- Mission Amrit Sarovar