Assumptions about cost, staffing, and public acceptance can be obstacles
Communities across the United States face a growing challenge: water demand is rising while drought and climate variability are constraining supply. As a result, utilities are increasingly turning to alternative water sources, including water reuse.
Reuse is a logical solution. Wastewater is available every day, in every community, and advanced treatment can reliably produce high-quality reclaimed water. Yet first-time reuse projects often falter. Not because the technology fails, but because early planning assumptions don’t match operational reality.
Understanding what commonly goes wrong on a utility’s first reuse project can be the difference between a smooth launch and a project that stalls under cost, staffing, compliance, or public pressure.
Why First-Time Reuse Projects Are Different
A common mistake is treating water reuse as a technological upgrade to existing treatment infrastructure, one that simply adds advanced treatment to meet new compliance requirements.
In practice, reuse is a different operational model that often requires tighter process control, more frequent monitoring, and a higher level of ongoing oversight. And because reuse is often public-facing, especially in potable reuse scenarios, communication and trust-building become as important as engineering design.
Most importantly, recycling wastewater for reuse is a long-term commitment. Once a utility incorporates reuse capacity into its wastewater treatment systems, it gains a sustainable, long-term water source, and it commits to operating, monitoring, and communicating about that system over time.
That’s why the most common reuse challenges emerge before design begins, not after construction starts.
Assumptions That Catch Utilities Off Guard
- Over-focusing on upfront cost
As with any capital project, the financial implications are carefully evaluated before the project gets the green light. The upfront capital investment is usually the largest hurdle utilities must overcome. However, focusing too heavily on the upfront cost can obscure long-term operational costs.
Reuse systems often have more robust operations and maintenance requirements than conventional treatment systems, reflecting the higher performance standards they are designed to meet. This can include additional treatment steps, greater energy use, and more frequent monitoring and reporting. When these requirements are planned for early, and supported with the right operational resources, reuse systems can operate reliably and deliver long-term value.
For utilities evaluating their first reuse project, delivery models such as Seven Seas’ Water-as-a-Service® can help by bundling financing, operations, maintenance, and compliance under a single, long-term service agreement, thereby reducing internal staffing strain while providing predictable costs and clear performance accountability.
- Expecting immediate system-wide savings
Another common assumption is that reuse will quickly lower the overall cost of the water system by reducing the need for pumping, importing, or expanding the water supply. In reality, first-generation reuse projects often increase short-term operating costs, especially while staff are learning the processes and the system is being tuned to run optimally. Over time, reuse can reduce risk and stabilize supply, but utilities should plan for a ramp-up period where operating costs and attention may rise before they fall.
- Understanding lifecycle cost variability
Perhaps one of the most overlooked planning issues is lifecycle cost variability. As regulations evolve and tighten, treatment processes may need to be changed, or systems may need to be upgraded. That is difficult to foresee and plan for. As a result, projects that look affordable on paper can become difficult to sustain if these long-term realities aren’t accounted for during planning.
Operations, Staffing, and Compliance
Water reuse systems require skilled operators, frequent monitoring, and sustained compliance oversight—demands that many utilities underestimate during early planning.
Even for utilities with the most carefully planned and meticulously managed budgets, operational limitations and compliance can still be an obstacle.
Reuse systems require highly skilled operators with a deeper understanding of how these processes work and how to respond when things go awry. They also require more frequent monitoring and data reporting, which can be labor-intensive. For utilities already struggling with staffing, this additional workload can add strain.
With certified operators in short supply across the country, reuse adds another layer of specialization that requires time and sustained training. And with experienced operators in high demand, investing in staff training comes with the risk that employees may take that knowledge elsewhere, leaving utilities with technically advanced reuse systems but insufficient staff to operate them optimally.
Water reuse also has more complex compliance requirements. When wastewater is recycled for reuse, water quality standards are typically much more stringent, with frequent sampling required to detect any anomalies to protect public health. This level of scrutiny can be unfamiliar and time-consuming, especially for utilities whose primary experience has been conventional treatment and discharge.
The key takeaway: Reuse succeeds or struggles operationally long before it proves itself technically. A well-designed system cannot compensate for staffing gaps or unrealistic operational expectations.
Public Acceptance Is Not a Side Issue
Public trust and clear communication are critical to the success of municipal water reuse projects, especially when introducing reuse.
Perhaps one of the most underestimated factors of municipal reuse is assuming it will “sell itself” once the community understands the science behind it. Public acceptance of reuse is key to a successful project, and for people to understand or accept the concept, they must overcome the “yuck factor” often associated with using recycled wastewater.
Underinvesting in community education or relying on technical assurances rather than transparent, ongoing engagement can erode public confidence and trust in the project. Confusing nonpotable reuse with potable reuse in public messaging can jeopardize acceptance, even when projects pose no direct risk to drinking water quality. It’s important to clearly distinguish between the two and clarify how and where the reclaimed water will be reused.
Because public trust can determine whether a reuse project expands or stalls, for first-time projects, it’s important to win public support early rather than leaving communication and awareness campaigns until later. Communities that feel well-informed and respected are far more likely to support future phases than those that feel sidelined.
First Reuse Projects Succeed When Risk Is Addressed Early
Most first-time reuse projects don’t fail because the technology doesn’t work. They struggle because operational, regulatory, and public-facing risks weren’t fully accounted for early enough.
Utilities that succeed take a deliberate approach:
- They plan for staffing realities and compliance workload
- They build flexibility into system design
- They phase implementation to reduce operational strain
- They align delivery models with internal capabilities
Rather than treating reuse as a one-time upgrade, they treat it as a long-term operational commitment that must earn trust and perform reliably.
This is where experience matters. Delivery models that bundle design, construction, operations, and compliance under a single accountable partner can significantly reduce the burden on internal teams, especially for utilities navigating reuse for the first time.
Ready to Pressure-Test Your Assumptions?
If your community is evaluating its first water reuse project, now is the moment to identify hidden risks and choose a delivery approach built for long-term success.
Schedule a consultation with Seven Seas to discuss reuse technologies, delivery models, and operational strategies designed to support successful first-time reuse projects.
Leslie May is the Senior Marketing Manager for both AUC Group and Seven Seas Water Group. She joined the company in 2017 after serving in various marketing roles in the oil and gas industry. Mrs. May is responsible for creating and implementing marketing strategies, developing sales copy, liaising with company stakeholders, planning events, and managing the website and social media activity. She ensures brand consistency and promotes the company and its services, targeting the correct and appropriate audiences. Mrs. May graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelor of Science degree in Communication Studies.