ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT FOR WASTE-WATER RECLAMATION AND REUSE PROJECTS

The purpose of an environmental review and assessment is to incorporat e environmental considerations into the planning process. Prior to the selection of a specific project alternative, a thorough and unbiased analysis of the environmental impacts of every reasonable project alte rnative should be made. It is intended that environmental concerns be considered on an equal basis with engineering feasibility, economics, and social considerations in wastewater reclamation and reuse. This pa per discusses the ''procedural'' and ''substantive'' provisions of env ironmental law in the United States; National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), and more specifically the law in California; California Envir onmental Quality Act (CEQA). The procedural aspects require the prepar ation of an environmental document such as an environmental impact sta tement (EIS) or an environmental impact report (EIR) and the substanti ve provisions require mitigation of harmful environmental impacts. Sug gested outlines of the content of an EIS and an EIR are provided. Spec ific impacts associated with wastewater reclamation projects such as g roundwater impacts and growth inducing impacts are discussed. This pap er is intended to be a useful tool for the planning of any wastewater reclamation and reuse project, Two examples are given for this purpose . Copyright (C) 1996 IAWQ. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.