Water reuse developments and policy priorities in the European Union and India: A review

To deal with the global water shortage, reuse of reclaimed water from wastewater needs to be widely practiced. These practices are very important for regions that are affected by water stress, making them more sustainable and resilient. The current research performs a comparative analysis of water reuse regulatory policies and technological implementation in India and the European Union (EU). It highlights divergent policy approaches, infrastructural constraints, and distinct socioeconomic contexts. The India-EU Water Partnership (IEWP) is a bilateral effort to improve knowledge sharing and make it easier for technology transfer. The study takes several case studies from the two regions, where Surat city from India, demonstrates public and private stakeholders working together. Moreover, it has successfully implemented circular economy (CE) principles into practice in reclaimed water systems, resulting in both economic and environmental benefits. Even though technology is efficient and effective, there are gaps in the full measurement of environmental impacts of technologies using methods like Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). These gaps make it hard to fully understand the ecological effects of new systems. Integrating LCA approaches is essential for optimizing both impacts and revenue streams. Thus, underscoring the need for policy harmonization, adaptive technology transfer, and the mainstreaming of LCA practices as integral components of CE strategies across India and the EU.