Exploring the social metabolism of urban wastewater reuse: Analysis framework and a case study in South-Central Chile

• Published in: Sustainable cities and society 2024-07, Vol.106, p.105349, Article 105349
• Main Authors: Neumann, Patricio, Hidalgo, Steven, Díaz, Michelle, Quintana, Carlos, Madrid-López, Cristina
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Material flow analysis; Musiasem; Wastewater reuse; Water metabolism
• ISSN: 2210-6707
• DOI: 10.1016/j.scs.2024.105349

•Wastewater reuse was assessed from a social metabolism perspective.•The benefits and main drawbacks of this strategy are evaluated in a case study.•The method was able to systematize water flows across multiple levels of analysis.•The potential of reuse was constrained by social and technical issues.•Water metabolism can be used to build a science-based narrative for water reuse. Although wastewater reuse is a vital strategy for mitigating water scarcity, its implementation is complex and faces several challenges. To effectively inform decision-makers, comprehensive evaluations are essential, considering the strategy's benefits and socio-ecological constraints in a case-specific manner. This study employs the social metabolism concept to assess the sustainability of wastewater reuse, through the joint application of the Material Flow Analysis (MFA) and Multiscale Integrated Assessment of Societal and Ecological Metabolism (MuSIASEM) tools. We analyze key aspects of wastewater reuse, including its potential as a water source, its technical challenges, and main social constraints. The results of our analysis highlight the potential of wastewater reuse to improve urban self-sufficiency, replace water in relevant economic activities at the regional level, and avoid the environmental impacts of wastewater discharge. Nevertheless, the viability of wastewater reuse is constrained by variations in wastewater flow and effluent quality. This limitation is further compounded by social barriers, which become more pronounced with increased contact with reclaimed water. Overall, the proposed framework serves as a valuable tool for evaluating wastewater reuse alternatives. It can be enriched by in-depth assessments of critical problems, providing a comprehensive approach to address the multifaceted aspects of sustainable wastewater reuse.