Wastewater reuse (reclamation) is the advanced treatment of treated effluent for various reuse applications. Water stress is rising in Turkey — reuse is an economic and strategic necessity for industry and municipalities.
Reuse design follows 4 quality tiers:
- Type A (High): Potable, all crops — UF+RO+UV
- Type B (Med-High): Non-edible plants, urban landscape — UF+UV
- Type C (Med): Industrial process, cooling towers — sand filter + UF
- Type D (Low): Agricultural irrigation — sand filter + chlorine
Arsistek reuse solutions combine UF (ultrafiltration) + RO (reverse osmosis) + AOP (UV/H2O2) + disinfection after biological treatment.
Why Wastewater Reuse?
Turkey, at 1,300 m³/capita/year, is water-stressed — expected to drop to 1,100 by 2030. Reuse is a strategic necessity for industry, agriculture and municipalities.
Economic drivers:
- Water cost: City water 12-25 TL/m³, reuse 4-8 TL/m³
- Discharge penalty risk: Reuse eliminates it
- ESG credits: EU CBAM compliance
- Drought resilience: Continuous production
Modern industrial plants target 70-95% reuse.
UF Ultrafiltration
0.01-0.1 µm pores remove bacteria, viruses and suspended solids at 99.99%. Output: SDI <3, TSS <1 mg/L, turbidity <0.1 NTU.
Modern UF modules use auto-backwash (every 30-60 min) and CIP for 5-10 year lifespan.
RO Reverse Osmosis
UF effluent feeds RO removing dissolved salts, organics and micropollutants. Permeate conductivity <50 µS/cm — potable quality.
Modern ERT/ERD energy recovery cuts power to 2.5-3.5 kWh/m³ — half of 10 years ago.
Applications and Regulations
Turkish reference regulations:
- WPCR Table 23: Irrigation water quality
- WPCR Table 24: Groundwater recharge
- Wastewater Reuse Regulation: Type A-D classification
- EU 2020/741: Min. requirements for agricultural reuse (reference)
Applications:
- Industry: Cooling tower makeup, plant wash, non-food process
- Agriculture: Drip/flood irrigation (by class)
- Urban: Landscape, toilet flush (purple piping)
- Environment: Groundwater recharge, wetland restoration
Reuse Solution Advantages
Reuse Project References
8 images coming soon — stay tuned for our reference projects and facility photos.
Frequently Asked Questions
City water 12-25 TL/m³ (region-dependent). Reuse system produces water at 4-8 TL/m³ — 50-70% savings. System pays back in 3-7 years.
UF: 5-10 years (with backwash + CIP). RO: 4-7 years (pretreatment-dependent). Proper pretreatment + regular CIP maximize life.
Almost all. Auto (90% common), textile (70%+), food (50-70%), paper (50%), chemical (60-80%). Applicable across all sectors and OSBs.
Three methods: 1) Discharge with compliance (15-25% volume), 2) Evaporation + crystallization for ZLD, 3) Brine recovery for specialty applications.
Yes, with proper class selection and monitoring. Type A for all crops, Type B-C for moderate risk. UF+RO+UV achieves 99.99% pathogen removal. EU 2020/741 compliance recommended.
~150-200 m² for 1,000 m³/day capacity (UF + RO + disinfection). Container-mountable (mobile). Typically appended to existing WWTP.