Water Reuse in the European Union: Risk Management Approach According to the Regulation (EU) 2020/741

In 2020, the Regulation (EU) 2020/741 on minimum requirements for water reuse in agricultural irrigation was approved with the aim to promote water reuse in the European Union. This regulation outlines minimum water quality and monitoring requirements, permitting and transparency provisions related to water reuse, as well as risk management requirements regarding the safe reuse of treated urban wastewater. The Joint Research Centre (JRC) of the European Commission developed technical guidelines based on established global approaches and European legal frameworks to assess and manage health and environmental risks associated with water reuse. These guidelines were developed with inputs from experts, EU Member State representatives, and stakeholders, and were informed by workshops, consultations, and case studies from various European Member States. This chapter presents the proposed methodology for the preparation of the risk management plan of a water reuse system where reclaimed water is used for agricultural irrigation, according to the elements listed in Annex 2 of the aforementioned regulation on water reuse.