Which process involves treating water stored in surface or groundwater before delivery to a treatment plant?

The process of indirect potable reuse refers to the treatment of water sourced from surface or groundwater before it is delivered to a treatment plant for further purification. This approach typically involves several stages of treatment to ensure that the water meets safety and quality standards before it enters the treatment facility.

In indirect potable reuse, reclaimed water is typically mixed with natural water sources, such as rivers, lakes, or aquifers, allowing for additional natural treatment processes to occur before it is eventually treated and made suitable for drinking water. This method helps to enhance the safety of the water supply by allowing for natural filtration and microbiological processes to occur, further reducing contaminants.

This contrasts with direct potable reuse, where treated water is put directly into the drinking water supply without the intermediary step of being blended with existing natural water sources. A water recovery system and wastewater management strategies, while important in the context of overall water resource management, primarily focus on different aspects of water treatment and recovery processes rather than the pre-treatment stage in question.