June 22, 2009
Supreme Court Allows Arizona Snowmaking Project to Move Forward
A legal battle came to an end June 8 when the U.S. Supreme Court left intact a decision by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which allows the Arizona Snowbowl resort to make artificial snow using reclaimed water, according to the Arizona Daily Star. Native American tribes objected to a U.S. Forest Service decision to allow the Arizona Snowbowl resort to make artificial snow using reclaimed water. Although the U.S. Forest Service owns the land, the tribes consider the mountain sacred and argued that the use of artificial snow would interfere with their religious practice. Without comment, the justices decided not to review the Court of Appeals decision that rejected the claims of the tribes. The Snowbowl plans to work with the Forest Service to develop a schedule to implement the entire project, which will occur over the next several years.
STIMULUS NEWS
California Counties to Receive $92 Million in Stimulus Funding for Water Recycling
Water Agencies in the Inland Empire region of southern California will receive more than $130 million in federal stimulus money, with about $92 million directed to water recycling projects, according to the Press-Enterprise. The funding is part of $440 million awarded to the state for "shovel-ready" projects and will create hundreds of jobs in Riverside and San Bernardino counties beginning this summer. Most of the projects will improve or complete recycled water facilities that provide water to irrigate parks, schools, street medians, golf courses, and farms.
Legislators Seek Authorizations for New Bay Area Projects
Legislation was recently introduced in both the House and the Senate that would expand the San Francisco Bay Area Water Recycling Program to make six more projects eligible for federal funding, according to a news release. The Bay Area Regional Water Recycling Program Authorization Act was signed into law last year and put eight projects on the federal authorization list. The six new projects would benefit the communities of Concord, Dublin, Petaluma, Redwood City, Antioch, and Palo Alto. The projects are estimated to cost $403 million, of which the federal government would pay $73 million if the bill becomes law.
California Water District Seeks Stimulus Funding
The Rancho California Water District of Temecula, CA has requested up to $20 million in federal stimulus funds for a series of water projects designed to boost water recycling in the region, according to the Press Enterprise. The three phase, $141 million project will ensure adequate water supply for the region through 2050. The project includes converting farmers in Temecula Valley Wine Country to recycled water and building a desalination plant to lower the salinity of recycled water from the Eastern Municipal Water District. Officials hope to find out if the stimulus request has been approved by the end of June.
ASSOCIATION NEWS
Workshops to Provide Additional Learning Opportunities during Annual WateReuse Symposium
The 24th Annual WateReuse Symposium to be held September 13-16 in Seattle, WA will, for the first time, offer two Pre-Conference Workshops for attendees looking for more in-depth coverage of key topics. The "Desalination 101" workshop will cover the basics of membrane separation technology, selection of pretreatment and reverse osmosis systems, and permitting challenges to implementing desalination projects in the United States. Participants in the "Membrane Bioreactor" workshop will have the opportunity to learn about new innovative installations, the latest design issues, and technology updates. The three hour courses will be held Sunday, September 13 from 1 p.m. - 4 p.m. and are limited to the first 50 people who sign up. For more information about the workshops, click here.
Association Seeks Proposals for Positioning Strategy Study
The Association released a Request for Proposals (RFP) on June 9 for a Water Reuse and Desalination Positioning Strategy Pilot Study. The overall goal of the project is to create a model for how WateReuse can assist its members and others in increasing public acceptance of water reuse and desalination projects. The pilot study will develop best approaches and methodologies for a national campaign. Proposals are due July 27, 2009. For more information, click here.
Nominations for the 2009 WateReuse Awards Due July 10
The WateReuse Association is accepting nominations for the 2009 WateReuse Awards, which will be presented on September 14, 2009 during the 24th Annual WateReuse Symposium in Seattle, WA. The awards recognize the projects and people that have made significant contributions to advancing water reuse and/or desalination. The awards typically recognize projects that advance alternative sources of water supply or offer a novel approach to meeting local water needs. Award nominations are due Friday, July 10, 2009. For more information on submitting a nomination, click here.
INDUSTRY NEWS
Obama Administration Report Focuses on Water Availability
A new Obama Administration report provided a synthesis of studies on the effects of climate change and concluded that human-induced climate change is underway and will likely continue to grow. The report notes that climate change is altering where, when, and how much water is available. The report also concluded that floods and droughts will likely become more common and intense and that increased water stress will pose adaptation challenges for crop and livestock production. To view the full report, click here.
Carlsbad, CA Desalination Facility Moves Forward
A 50 million gallons per day seawater desalination facility planned in Carlsbad, CA received its final approval on May 13, clearing the path for construction to begin on what will be the largest desalination plant in the Western Hemisphere. The San Diego Regional Water Quality Board voted unanimously to allow Connecticut-based Poseidon Resources to build the $320 million facility. Poseidon began planning the facility about a decade ago and has spent the last five years navigating through a complex permitting process. The new facility could provide enough drinking water for 100,000 families by 2012.
New Florida Plant to Reuse Water, Solids
The City of Starke, FL began construction June 8 on a new wastewater treatment facility that will allow both the water and solids processed in the plant to be reused for beneficial purposes, according to a news release. The reclaimed water will help local conservation efforts. The biosolids will be thickened, treated, and the resulting residuals will be turned into nitrogen rich fertilizer. The reclaimed water and fertilizer from the plant will be used on a sod farm less than one mile way.
Tampa Considers Indirect Potable Reuse
In a unanimous vote, the Tampa (FL) City Council recently endorsed a request for city staff to prepare a report on the feasibility of augmenting the drinking water supply with reclaimed water, according to the St. Petersburg Times. Tampa currently dumps about 55 million gallons of irrigation-quality reclaimed water into Tampa Bay each day, because its network of purple pipe only reaches about 8,700 property owners. Extending the network is expensive and some officials believe that it would be more cost effective to increase the level of treatment and put the water back in the ground, where it would eventually reach the Hillsborough River and be treated again before reaching the tap. However, in a later meeting, the City Council voted to expand the reclaimed water system to another potential 9,000 customers, the St. Petersburg Times reported.
Tempe Wins GE Ecomagination Award
The City of Tempe, AZ was recently awarded the GE Ecomagination Leadership Award for an upgrade to a Membrane Bioreactor (MBR) that doubled the facility's capacity to nine million gallons per day, according to a news release. The uses of the reclaimed water produced at the facility include industrial cooling and golf course irrigation. Ecomagination is GE's corporate-wide sustainable business strategy to address challenges such as the need for cleaner, more efficient sources of energy, reduced emissions and abundant sources of clean water. The Tempe expanded water reclamation program results in the reuse of an additional 2.5 billion gallons a year of water for commercial and industrial applications, and for aquifer storage.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
South Australia to Invest Billions in Water
The Premier of South Australia recently announced that water security is at the heart of the state's 2009-2010 budget, according to The Australian. South Australia is budgeted to spend AU $2.1 billion over four years for projects such as a desalination plant in the capital city of Adelaide, upgrade and expansion of water recycling facilities, and stormwater harvesting projects. The AU $1.8 billion desalination plant is already under construction and is set to receive AU $833 million in the 2009-2010 budget. The federal government is providing $228 million to expand the plant's capacity from 50 to 100 gigaliters (13 to 26 billion gallons).
Melbourne Monitors Water Storage Levels
Officials in Melbourne, Australia are monitoring water storage levels carefully after experiencing an 82.1 billion liter drop from March to June, according to ABC News. Although a drop in average rainfall has left stream flows 42% below average, water managers believe there is a sufficient amount of water in storage to keep the community supplied with water until a new desalination plant comes online in 2011. Melbourne citizens have also helped authorities meet conservation goals.
Desalinated Water Coming to Sydney
A controversial 250 liters per day desalination plant in Sydney, Australia is about 80% complete and will start pumping drinking water as early as this summer, according to The Age. The plant will be powered by 67 wind turbines and provide about 15% of Sydney's water within five years. Officials also plan increased conservation and water recycling to help meet the region's needs.