Industrial water reuse transforms treated wastewater into an alternative source for industrial processes and reduces pressure on freshwater supplies. Many industrial clusters face water scarcity, rising competition for water resources, and stricter environmental requirements. Expanding water reuse supports operational resilience and improves long-term resource sustainability. Read how the CHEmical industry water Reuse In a Sustainable Harbour (CHERISH-2-O) project demonstrates collective water reuse through shared industrial networks against international benchmarks.
System Drivers
Industrial water reuse involves collecting, treating, and redistributing wastewater for beneficial industrial applications. Industrial facilities often generate large volumes of treated effluent that still contain value as a water resource. Growing water scarcity and regulatory expectations are increasing interest in reuse systems. Reuse reduces dependence on freshwater sources and strengthens operational continuity during drought conditions.
Shared Water Infrastructure
Many industrial facilities cannot justify advanced treatment systems independently because of cost or technical limitations. Shared water networks allow multiple users to aggregate water demand and treatment requirements. Collective systems can connect suppliers of treated wastewater with users that require process water. This network approach spreads investment costs and increases opportunities for efficient resource management.
Treatment and Quality Management
Industrial water reuse systems depend on matching water quality with end use requirements. Treatment trains often include multiple stages that progressively remove contaminants and improve water quality. Filtration technologies can address suspended solids, dissolved constituents, and residual impurities. Quality management frameworks also support reliable operation and help maintain confidence among participating industries.
Implementation and Scaling Mechanisms
Successful industrial reuse systems require technical planning and institutional coordination. Water flow mapping can identify potential exchanges and determine where reuse networks are feasible. Economic assessments and business models help define cost sharing and long-term governance arrangements. Demonstration projects provide operational evidence to support large-scale deployment and future investment decisions.
Case Study: CHERISH-2-O Project in the Port of Antwerp-Bruges
CHERISH-2-O started in September 2024 and examines the joint upgrading and reuse of treated wastewater by chemical companies in the Port of Antwerp-Bruges. The initiative receives financial support through the Flemish Blue Deal, which provides the policy framework to improve water resilience and promote circular water use.
The project team consists of VITO, essenscia, Antea Group, VMM, and Port of Antwerp-Bruges in collaboration with several chemical companies. CHERISH-2-O maps industrial water flows and identifies where exchanges of treated wastewater are possible. Water quality, volumes, and industrial needs determine the formation of supplier and user clusters.
Implementation relies on several technical mechanisms. Pilot tests examine mixed wastewater streams through treatment sequences that include pre-filtration, ultrafiltration, reverse osmosis, and concentrate treatment. A demonstration installation commissioned in February 2026 has a treatment capacity of 1.5 cubic meters per hour and processes wastewater from five chemical companies organized into two clusters. The first testing phase treats the clusters separately and the second phase treats them together to assess technical and operational feasibility.
Institutional mechanisms also support implementation. VITO directs technical and economic development, evaluates water flows, develops methodologies for selecting collective networks, and assesses business models for industrial deployment. In the longer term, twelve chemical companies could use the treated process water. The project generates evidence on the reliability of shared circular water networks and supports greater resilience to drought through reduced dependence on freshwater resources.
Take-Out
Industrial water reuse systems become more effective when industries share infrastructure, coordinate water flows, and combine technical, economic, and institutional mechanisms to scale circular water management.