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WP6 - Demonstration of the project outcomes in an integrated case study: the Vendée Greenfield site

The Vendée Department relies mainly on surface water for its two main water needs (drinking water and crop irrigation), as the groundwater resource is scarce. Hence during summer, when the river flows are very low, the whole area relies on reservoirs. The peak water demand occurs in summer due to tourism on the coast and crop irrigation. As the water level in the reservoir depends on the precipitation occurring during fall and winter, additional water resource coming from reuse would contribute to secure the amount of water stored in those reservoirs and to avoid water shortage due to an increasing water demand forecasted for the next 10 years. Nevertheless, Vendée is a greenfield site for planned water reuse.

The Vendée balance needs/resourcesThe Vendée Department relies mainly on surface water for its two main water needs (drinking water and crop irrigation), as the groundwater resource is scarce. Hence during summer, when the river flows are very low, the whole area relies on reservoirs. The peak water demand occurs in summer due to tourism on the coast and crop irrigation. As the water level in the reservoir depends on the precipitation occurring during fall and winter, additional water resource coming from reuse would contribute to secure the amount of water stored in those reservoirs and to avoid water shortage due to an increasing water demand forecasted for the next 10 years. Nevertheless, Vendée is a greenfield site for planned water reuse.

The barriers to overcome in this site concern mainly the Health Authority acceptance as well as public acceptance (Understanding and Trust). For both, the challenge will be to demonstrate that the reuse scheme is not a threat to public health. Another barrier would be to ensure that the reuse scheme does not have a significant impact on water bodies (Water Framework Directive).Therefore all the Work package leaders of DEMOWARE (CTM, KWR, FHNW, Vendée Eau, KWB, CAD, JRC and CRAN) will be involved in this Work package so as to transfer the outcomes of their work into this case study.

The Vendée Site represents a global demonstration site with the necessity to integrate all the Reuse aspects (Sanitary, Technical, Environmental, Social …) with the concrete target at the end of the project of building the first reference in France of planned indirect reuse for drinking water production. The deliverables of this WP will support the request for authorisation.

 
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