From waste to resource: Stakeholder perspectives on sustainable wastewater reuse

Increasing disparity between populations with and without access to fresh water and contamination of waterways contribute to a global scenario of freshwater scarcity that is as much about poor quality as insufficient quantity. While fresh water continues to be an abundant resource inside most of Canada, Environment Canada has determined that the Okanagan Valley in British Columbia experiences the greatest water shortage challenges in Canada. In order to place the views of Okanagan communities towards reclaimed water in a continental context, this study will look at the perspectives of stakeholders involved in reclaimed water systems in three diverse North American communities; Guanajato Mexico, Monterey California, USA, and a collection of communities in the Okanagan Valley of BC, Canada. Using a qualitative approach, research combined a comprehensive literature review on wastewater reclamation practices for each of these three areas, with interviews of key contacts. This study compares and contrasts experienced stakeholders perspectives in terms of social, economic and environmental factors related to reclaimed water use. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)...