Abstract

In recent years, drought events have become increasingly common, causing serious environmental disasters. The drought causes a significant reduction in the availability of both surface and groundwater resources, which can lead to different effects, such as a reduction in agricultural productivity, reduced energy generation, an increase in water treatment costs, a marked deterioration of natural habitats, and an impact on economic and social activities. Due to drought and water scarcity, several regions of the world will face unprecedented pressures exacerbating the current imbalance between water demand and regional availability. In Chile, drought events are increasingly common, so it is necessary to evaluate changes in the management strategies of water resources to address this problem. A powerful strategy to face to the drought is water reuse. The reuse of water offers a supply alternative for various beneficial uses, reducing pressures on better quality water resources. However, and although this approach has been studied during several decades, implementing suitable and environmentally acceptable water reuse strategies still represents a significant challenge. This chapter provides an overview of water reuse strategies applied in Chile, focusing on greywater and wastewater reuse, along with the key factors, policies, and regulations necessary for the sustainable implementation and widespread adoption of these strategies. The potential uses of and the risks associated with reclaimed water reuse are discussed. In addition, the political, regulatory, economic, environmental, technological, and social challenges related to water reuse in the Chilean context are reviewed.