With increasing population growth, expanding urbanization, and climate challenges, municipalities worldwide are seeking innovative ways to secure water resources. Water reuse is emerging as a sustainable, cost-effective solution to meet growing demands while reducing reliance on freshwater supplies.

Reusing municipal wastewater helps communities

Reduces freshwater demand – helps conserve limited freshwater resources by supplementing non-potable and potable water needs.

Promotes water security – provides a reliable, drought-resistant water source, especially important in arid or water-scarce regions.

Supports sustainable urban growth – meets the increasing water demand in expanding cities without overexploiting natural sources

Boosts agricultural productivity – reused water can irrigate crops, parks, and landscapes, often containing nutrients beneficial to plant growth.

Reduces discharge into ecosystems – minimizes the release of treated wastewater into rivers or oceans, reducing pollution and protecting aquatic life.

Promotes circular economy principles – encourages resource efficiency by recycling water, nutrients, and sometimes even energy

Cost-effective in the long run – reduces reliance on expensive water imports and helps delay infrastructure investments for new water sources.

Improves wastewater management – incentivizes better treatment technologies and infrastructure development.

Creates jobs and innovation – opens opportunities in water treatment, engineering, and environmental tech sectors.

While municipalities leverage non-potable reuse—such as irrigation, industrial processes, and groundwater recharge—many are advancing toward direct potable reuse (DPR), where highly treated wastewater is purified beyond drinking water standards and indirect potable reuse (IPR) where treated water is injected into an environmental buffer (groundwater, river, or reservoir) before being extracted again for use.

How Xylem supports municipal water reuse

Treating wastewater for reuse requires advanced, efficient, and scalable processes. Xylem provides tailored solutions that integrate key treatment technologies, ensuring high water quality and energy efficiency including:

Advanced biological treatment – essential for removing both organic and inorganic contaminants before further purification.

Clarification – both circular and rectangular clarification equipment offerings for gravity settling of wastewater solids.

Tertiary filtration solutions – title 22 certified equipment utilized for removing residual solids remaining after secondary solids-liquid separation processes.

Biologically active filtration (BAF) – oxidation-enhanced filtration for removing organic and inorganic contaminants while improving water clarity.

On-site hypochlorite generation systems (OSEC®) – compact system that produces a sodium hypochlorite solution through the electrolysis of brine, using only water, salt and electricity.

The advanced oxidation process (AOP) – customized sustainable solution, combining two or more processes to generate hydroxyl radicals (OH radicals) which oxidate micropollutants, like pharmaceuticals, personal care products and industrial chemicals.

Ultraviolet light (UV) – has the ability to inactivate known microorganisms, bacteria, pathogens, virus and molds, without the use of chemicals

Ozonation – is an environmentally friendly method of treatment whereby pollutants, odors, harmful substances, and microorganisms are directly destroyed by oxidation, without harmful by-products or significant residues.

Chlorination – due to its chemical properties and its high reactivity, chlorine is very well suited for the disinfection of water by killing disease-causing pathogens like bacteria, viruses, and protozoans.

Digital solutions – Leverage remote monitoring, alerts, and data analytics for proactive and predictive maintenance.

Custom combination of solutions – Xylem experts tailor solutions based on desired result, specific reuse application, location, as well as local regulations and statutes to ensure the most efficient and optimal combination of these technologies.

Sustainable, efficient reuse solutions tailored to every municipality

Each community has unique water challenges, from increasing demand and regulatory compliance to cost constraints and environmental goals. Xylem works with municipal engineers, utility managers, and consultants to deliver customized, turnkey solutions with minimal disruption to existing infrastructure that adhere to regulations.

Municipal water reuse projects must be designed to optimize efficiency, cost savings, and environmental impact. By incorporating advanced reuse technologies, municipalities can reduce freshwater intake by recycling treated wastewater for irrigation, agriculture, recreational water systems, and other applications or for supplementing potable water supplies. In many cases, less energy is required for water reuse applications compared to treating raw water sources.

Municipal water reuse isn’t just an option, it’s an essential strategy for sustainable water management. With Xylem’s expertise in advanced treatment technologies and system integration, communities can create a reliable, long-term water reuse program that ensures both affordability and resilience.