A l'UM la science [S03-ep01]: A new decree for the REUT

In this third season of A l'UM la science, we talk about wastewater reuse with Marc Heran, researcher at the European Membrane Institute (IEM) and Vincent Moulia, a doctoral student atIEM, G-Eau and LBE in Narbonne. The report takes you to the membrane filtration hall with Omar Samhari, a post-doctoral researcher atIEM. Finally, Gautier Desmoulins from Montpellier University Hospital presents the World Heart Days.

On August 30, just as you were finishing off your last glasses of mojito and putting your suitcases and swimsuits in the closet, the government promulgated a long-awaited decree allowing local authorities to finally relax regulations on the reuse of wastewater for agricultural purposes.

So why so much anticipation? Firstly, because it was announced back in March when the major water plan was presented. Secondly, because France is lagging so far behind in this area. In France, less than 1% of treated wastewater is used for irrigation, compared with 8% in Italy, 14% in Spain and even 80% in Israel. At a time when drought is hitting more and more regions of France, and 62% of groundwater tables were below their normal average on September¹, doing without such a resource is no longer tenable.

So what does this decree allow, with what benefits in terms of water savings and potential impacts on soil? These are just some of the questions we'll be putting to our two guests over the next 20 minutes. Marc Heran is a researcher at the European Membrane Institute (IEM) and Vincent Moulia is a doctoral student atIEM, G-Eau and LBE in Narbonne. They are both taking part in an experiment that has been running for several years in Murviel-lès-Montpellier, in the Montpellier metropolitan area. In the journal Science of The Total Environmentan article on which we based ourselves: " Effet à court terme du gradient de qualité des eaux usées récupérées sur le microbiome du sol pendant l'irrigation " (" Short-term effect of the quality gradient of reclaimed wastewater on the soil microbiome during irrigation ").

In the second half of the program, we take you to the European Membrane Institute, and more precisely to the membrane filtration hall. This facility is used to implement a range of filtration techniques, from bench-scale to pre-industrial units. Omar Samhari, a post-doctoral researcher atIEM , shows us how reverse osmosis can be used to desalinate seawater and turn it into drinking water. 

Finally, our guest for the last 3 minutes is Gautier Desmoulins, who presents the World Heart Days, a public awareness event on cardiology organized on September 29 at Antigone.

At UM la science you've got the program, here we go!

Coproduction: Divergence FM / Université de Montpellier
Animation: Lucie Lecherbonnier
Interviews: Aline Périault / Lucie Lecherbonnier
Reporting and editing: Aline Périault
Production : Tom Chevalier

Listen to the program "A l'UM la science" on Divergence FM 93.9