Beyond Technology: How Governance and Culture Shape Wastewater Reuse in the United States and Israel

Abstract

This paper compares wastewater reuse in Israel and the United States to examine why one country has implemented large-scale water recycling while the other has not. Israel recycles approximately 87–90% of its wastewater through a coordinated national system that treats reclaimed water as a critical resource, especially for agricultural irrigation. The United States has comparable technological capacity, but wastewater reuse remains limited and regionally fragmented. This paper argues that the difference is not primarily technological, but institutional and societal. Three major barriers limit wastewater reuse in the U.S.: fragmented water governance across federal, state, and local levels; infrastructure systems historically designed for disposal rather than reuse; and cultural resistance shaped by public perception and the “yuck factor.” By comparing Israel’s centralized planning and integrated infrastructure with the decentralized U.S. approach, this analysis shows that expanding wastewater reuse requires more than advanced treatment technology. It requires coordinated governance, long-term infrastructure investment, and greater public trust in reclaimed water as a sustainable resource.