Mainstream Interest in Water Reuse and Available Funding Spurred by Recent Droughts. What’s Next?
Severe droughts and growing water scarcity continue to wreak havoc . are continuing to impact Brazil, most of the Western United States, Madagascar, and more, leaving tangible and lasting impacts on residents, the industry, and the economy.
In?the U.S., leaders and asked residents to cut water usage. Some areas even went as far as on households for wasteful water use practices, such as . In addition, water allocations for the agricultural industry were slashed, forcing , ultimately contributing to throughout the U.S.
Drought conditions have gotten so bad that some states have taken drastic and unprecedented measures to conserve water. For example, California's Department of Water Resources recently (other than what’s needed for critical health and safety) of the State Water Project for all local water agencies.
The severe impacts of persistent drought and water scarcity are being felt and have opened the eyes of citizens and lawmakers to the need for a solution.
In the U.S., several programs have blazed the trail to make advanced recycling a reality, such as the Hamby Water Reclamation Facility in Texas, the F. Wayne Hill Water Resources Center in Georgia, and the Edward C. Little Facility in California.
Today, several more water reuse programs and initiatives are pressing forward. One example is the initiative in Los Angeles, which aims to maximize the production of purified recycled water from the Hyperion Water Reclamation Plant - the cornerstone to achieving the Mayor’s goal to . Another example is the led by the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California in partnership with the Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts, which will purify treated wastewater from the?Joint Water Pollution Control Plant. Currently these massive treatment plants discharge the majority of their effluent into the Pacific Ocean. Recycling at this scale will offset the use of hundreds of thousands of homes in the area.
It's not just the big cities taking steps in the right direction. The town of Morro Bay, California is currently building a Water Reclamation Facility?with advanced water purification to protect the environment and establish a safe and reliable water source for local homes and businesses. In eastern Virginia, a new SWIFT program will recycle highly treated wastewater using advanced water treatment processes and then inject the treated water into the Potomac Aquifer.
These are significant strides in the right direction and have taken years to bring to this point, but more still needs to be done.?
Thankfully, funding is now available to make water reuse a widespread reality. In the one billion dollars has been set aside for water reuse projects over the next five years. This unprecedented level of funding provides municipalities with the opportunity to cement a stable and sustainable water future for their residents and local commercial and industrial users, but only if the budget is used strategically.
Municipalities must make smart investments in technologies that will serve today's needs, as well as the needs of tomorrow and beyond. Cities should be looking to invest in technologies and solutions that allow for safe and cost-effective water recycling for the appropriate use cases of today, as well as the potential end-use points in the future. In addition, it's critical to consider the future potential of the technologies being implemented today -- will they allow for more advanced recycling for direct potable reuse once regulation and public acceptance support it, or will they hold you back from continuing to adapt and evolve as the world changes?
Not too long ago, the idea of drinking recycled water, or potable reuse, seemed far-fetched. But as consumers begin to feel the lasting impacts of water scarcity personally, the stigma has shifted, and the general public is not only warming up to the idea of direct potable water reuse they see the need. However, we still have a way to go. In a 2020 study of American consumers, only one-third of respondents said they would drink recycled water, and just under half said they would be open to using it for irrigation.
We've also seen movement in the right direction on the regulation front, with several states beginning to outline regulations supporting direct potable water reuse. California, for instance, is mandated to complete direct potable water reuse regulation by the end of 2023 and has created a framework for the regulation of potable reuse projects. Other states are also making progress. and , for example, have developed similar frameworks and are making advances in outlining regulations to support. Despite regulation sitting at the state level, the EPA has entered the mix to help accelerate reuse. They have spearheaded the designed to support and drive progress on water reuse across the nation.
Once these elements solidify and the pieces fall in place, it’ll be critical that municipalities are prepared to implement potable reuse to continue building a sustainable water future in the U.S. Visit here to learn more about how 91大神can support water reuse projects.
