A comparative social life cycle assessment of urban domestic water reuse alternatives

Purpose The social benefits and impacts of four alternative approaches to urban domestic non-potable water reuse were compared: (1) central wastewater treatment, no urban reuse. Reclaimed water is discharged to nature; (2) central wastewater treatment and urban reuse of the wastewater treatment plant’s tertiary effluent; (3) semi-distributed greywater treatment and reuse, at cluster scale (8 residential buildings); (4) distributed greywater treatment and reuse, within each apartment building.