ABSTRACT
Groundwater recharge with reclaimed municipal wastewater presents a wide spectrum of technical and health challenges that must be carefully evaluated. At present, several technical and health constraints limit expanded use of reclaimed water as a source for groundwater recharge for domestic water supply. A limited review was made of three organic compounds, N-nitrosodimethylamine, bisphenol A, and 17-α-ethynylestradiol that have been found in reclaimed water and other environmental samples. The literature review included a cursory evaluation of the relative health risks posed by these three trace organic compounds in reclaimed water as part of a review of the proposed California water recycling criteria for groundwater recharge. Future research should focus on establishing and defining appropriate surrogates or relevant physical, chemical, and biological factors that can be used to establish “safe” groundwater recharge practices for domestic water supply.
