Multi-barriers: towards an integrated pathogen risk management for wastewater reuse

Coordination :

• INRAE, REVERSAAL, Villeurbanne. Contact : Rémi Latune – remi.lombard-latune@inrae.fr
• INRAE, G-Eau (AQUA), Montpellier. Contact : Emeline Hassenforder – emeline.hassenforder@cirad.fr 

Active period :

2021-2024

Financing :

Public-sector financing (AERMC) / INRAE (DAPP/BETTER)

Partners :

• Ministry of Ecological Transition
• Rhone-Mediterranean-Corsica Water Agency
• EPNAC - Technical Reuse Workshop
• INRAE’s REUSE Network, UR: LBE (MICA-TRANSFORM), OPAALE, SQPOV, EMMAH (AE)

Summary :

The Multiple barriers project has been set up to study the possibility of spreading risk management associated with pathogenic microorganisms over the entire reuse chain, from effluent collection all the way to users / consumers (farm production, gardens, urban sanitation, etc.). This approach, initiated by the WHO during the 1980’s, has been reinstated within the recent European regulatory framework. It would serve to limit wastewater treatment to quality levels compatible with the means available in rural zones and to decentralized infrastructure in urban areas. The objective is to avoid having to engage in processes that are intensive and effective yet generate considerable environmental impact. The proposed alternative is to transfer a portion of the health risk management responsibilities to the various actors across the reuse sector. This possibility does however raise several questions:

• How efficient are these barriers from a health standpoint?
• What is needed to organize the transfer of a portion of health risk management responsibilities to all the stakeholders of the reuse chain? The project objective is to develop a tool to trigger a discussion among actors on the topic of health risk management as it pertains to pathogenic germs, in order to design / redefine their reuse scheme by identifying which barrier to mobilize (i.e. additional treatment, choice of crops, mode of irrigation, post-harvest treatment, protection of farm employees and neighbours). A companion modeling approach will make possible to build, in conjunction with all the stakeholders involve, a model of the reuse chain and then test various options during exploratory simulation workshops combining the various barriers.
• To what extent does this Multiple Barrier approach induce a smaller economic and environmental impact than solely an additional treatment?

Project layout / Work Packages: Multiple barriers is composed of 3 parts:

• A state-of-the-art assessment of knowledge acquired of the various barriers (through reliance on the Reuse network)
• Development of participatory approach to barrier implementation in projects either existing or planned (thesis co-supervised by Reversaal/G-Eau)
• Comparison of scenarios in the evaluation of economic and environmental impacts.

Topic(s)/Field(s) of application for the network/TRL: Methodological advances to address issues surrounding Protocols, Risks and Actors, as well as the various application contexts.