Rising temperatures, growing water demand and falling groundwater levels are making water recovery a strategic issue worldwide, and water reuse is also becoming increasingly important.

From a technological perspective, water recovery has long been feasible. Proven treatment processes enable applications in agricultural irrigation, as industrial process or cooling water, and in urban areas. In particularly water-scarce regions concepts such as Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) go one step further and pursue the goal of recycling water almost completely.

However, in addition to technology, other factors are also crucial: legal framework conditions, economic viability, carbon footprint, and social acceptance. The presentation provides an overview of international developments, practical examples, and key issues in the implementation of water recovery and reuse.