Nelson Research Group

University of California, Berkeley | Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering

Decentralized Non-potable Reuse

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Results from modeling tool to optimize the number of buildings connected decentralized, non-potable reuse based on the metric of interest: energy, cost, or greenhouse gas emissions.  Image from Kavvada et al. (2018).  The tool is publicly available at:  https://water-reuse-map.olgakavvada.com/ 

About

Recycling of water for non-potable purposes, such as toilet flushing and landscape irrigation, via centralized treatment facilities can be costly and disruptive due to the need to construct dedicated pipe networks to distribute the water back to where it can be reused (the “purple pipe dilemma”).  Decentralized approaches, in which the water is collected and treated close to the location of reuse, can be more efficient.  San Francisco is an international leader in developing innovative approaches to onsite reuse.  Our group conducts research to better understand the ecosystem that contributes to successful implementation of this innovative practice, as well as life cycle and spatial analysis that aims to ensure these systems are designed to minimize energy and greenhouse gas footprints.

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Selected Publications

Wagner, T.R., K.L. Nelson, C. Binz, and M.E. Hacker. “Actor Roles and Networks in Implementing Urban Water Innovation: A Study of Onsite Water Reuse in the San Francisco Bay Area.” Environmental Science & Technology; 57(15):6205-6215. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.2c05231.

Hoffmann, S., U. Feldmann, P.M. Bach, C. Binz, M. Farrelly, N. Frantzeskaki, H. Hiessl, J. Inauen, T.A. Larsen, J. Leinert, J. Londong, C. Luthi, M. Maurer, C. Mitchell, E. Morgenroth, K.L., Nelson, L. Scholten, B. Truffer, K.M. Udert (2020). “A Research Agenda for the Future of Urban Water Management: Exploring the Potential of Nongrid, Small-Grid, and Hybrid Solutions.” Environmental Science & Technology 54(9): 5312–22. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.9b05222.

Kavvada, O., K.L. Nelson, and A. Horvath. (2018) “Spatial Optimization for Decentralized Non-Potable Water Reuse.” Environmental Research Letters 13(6): 064001. doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/aabef0.

Kavvada, O., A. Horvath, J. Stokes-Draut, T.P. Hendrickson, W.A. Eisenstein, and K.L. Nelson.  (2016).  “Assessing Location and Scale of Urban Non-Potable Water Reuse Systems for Life-Cycle Energy Consumption and Greenhouse Gas Emissions.” Environmental Science and Technology. 50(24):13184–13194. doi:10.1021/acs.est.6b02386.

Hendrickson, T.P, Nguyen, M., Sukardi, M., Miot, A., Horvath, A., and K.L. Nelson.  (2015). “Environmental Performance of a Building-Scale Wastewater Treatment and Non-potable Reuse System.”  Environmental Science and Technology. 49(17):10303–10311.