Boston, Massachusetts, United States – January 22, 2025. The WateReuse Association (WateReuse) and the International Desalination and Reuse Association (IDRA) are collaborating on a Global Dialogue on Water Reuse examining the drivers, challenges, and opportunities for accelerating the adoption of water reuse around the world. The organizations will produce a white paper later this year reflecting the consensus of experts participating in this initiative, which began at the 2024 WateReuse Symposium, March 11-14, 2024, in Denver, CO, and continued at the IDRA 2024 World Congress, December 8-12, 2024, in Abu Dhabi, UAE.  Supporting organizations include Veolia, the International Code Council or ICC, and the North American Development Bank.

“Water reuse is on the rise in every region around the world,” said Shannon McCarthy, Executive Director and Secretary General of IDRA. “From drought-prone regions to traditionally water-abundant countries, water reuse is helping to solve a variety of water resource challenges.”

“We’re seeing an exponential growth of interest in water recycling projects,” said Patricia Sinicropi, Executive Director of the WateReuse Association. “These projects require a huge amount of expertise to pull off successfully. That’s why we’re excited to forge this partnership initiative with IDRA and with the dozens of thought leaders around the world who contributed their time and expertise to this effort.”

Inspired by a discussion on water reuse that began at the United Nations 2023 Water Conference and continued later that year in Seville at IDRA’s Water and Climate Change Summit, WateReuse and IDRA embarked on an ambitious effort to unite international thought leaders for a comprehensive, global conversation about the future of water recycling.

The Global Dialogue on Water Reuse explored four topic areas crucial successful water recycling projects: communications, financing, governance, and treatment technology. Participants shared their knowledge on the drivers, challenges, and opportunities to accelerate the adoption of water recycling as a resiliency tool to help countries around the world.

WateReuse and IDRA are now working to synthesize the discussions into a Global Dialogue on Water Reuse White Paper. The White Paper will summarize key takeaways, best management practices, and lessons learned from these practitioners to help guide both public and private sector water professionals across the globe as they seek to implement water reuse projects in their respective countries. The analysis will highlight drivers, challenges, and opportunities for water reuse from the perspective of water professionals who have undertaken water recycling projects and offer practical insights for how others can get started.

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About WateReuse Association

The WateReuse Association is the nation’s only trade association solely dedicated to advancing laws, policy, funding, and public acceptance of recycled water. Our membership includes utilities that recycle water, businesses that support the development of recycled water projects, and consumers of recycled water.

About IDRA

The International Desalination and Reuse Association (IDRA) is a U.S.-based (Delaware) non-profit 501(c)(6) organization established in 1973 and a recognized NGO with consultative status under the United Nations Economic and Social Council (UN ECOSOC). As a proud partner of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and its WASAG Global Framework on Water Scarcity in Agriculture Initiative. IDRA also holds official status with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). With a diverse network spanning over 60 countries, IDRA connects public and private sector professionals, scientists, researchers, and students. As a global hub for the desalination and water reuse industries, we foster collaboration, innovation, and knowledge-sharing to drive sustainable water solutions and ensure a water-secure future for all.