Earth Day is a chance to reflect on the ways that all our systems are interconnected: water, air, food systems, and the built environment all affect one another. The International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) issued a dire new report this month which warns of accelerating threats to our environment and society. Water reuse offers an important tool in addressing climate change impacts including drought, flooding, and saltwater intrusion, and compares favorably to other new water supplies by often using less energy, imposing a smaller carbon footprint, and generating fewer air pollution emissions. To learn more about water reuse as a climate change solution, read our policy brief here.

Washington, DC | April 27, 2022

Please Join us for Water Week 2022 to send a strong message to Congress and the Administration about the value of investing in water reuse. The agenda features key Members of Congress and senior officials from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA), the U.S. Department of Interior’s Bureau of Reclamation, and the U.S. Department of Energy discussing major federal legislative and regulatory water policies and initiatives. Register now and contact Greg Fogel with any questions, including assistance setting up Capitol Hill visits with your congressional representatives.

The National Water Week Policy Fly In is co-hosted by the WateReuse Association, Water Environment Federation, National Association of Clean Water Agencies, and Water Research Foundation.

The City of Jacksonville Beach joins the WateReuse Association as the provider of water and sewer services to the Jacksonville Beach, Florida area.

A report from the Pacific Institute found that water recycling presents a significant opportunity for cities to reduce their reliance on rivers and aquifers. The report estimates that an additional 1.8 million to 2.1 million acre-feet per year of municipal wastewater is available for reuse in California. Right now, nearly three-quarters of that water is being discharged to marine environments. Read more.

The City of Hayward has begun delivering approximately 260,000 gallons of recycled water daily for irrigation and commercial uses, preserving potable water supplies and reducing treated wastewater discharges to the San Francisco Bay. The city is now planning a second phase to reach additional customers. Read more.

The Maui County Council is considering an annual budget including a significant investment in recycled water. The Kīhei Land Application System will use water from the reclamation facility to restore nearby parched land. Councilmember Yuki Lei Sugimura recently expressed her support for the project noting that returning this land to productive uses will also reduce runoff from heavy rain which affects shoreline areas. Read more.

The Egyptian Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Mohamed Abdel Aty recently met with the World Bank’s Managing Director for Development Policies and Partnerships to discuss water recycling projects and other irrigation modernization projects. Egypt plans to inaugurate the al-Hammam Water Treatment Plant within the year, which will be the world’s largest water recycling plant. Read more.

Last year, our members, leadership, and staff achieved the 2021 strategic plan goal to solidify our leadership position as the premiere national trade association for recycled water advocacy, education, and engagement. Key achievements included:

• Holding the 36th Annual WateReuse Symposium in March 2021, stepping out as the first major national water conference of the year and setting the year’s advocacy and research agenda.
• Securing an historic $1 billion for western water recycling in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 through coordinated advocacy efforts with mem­bers and partner organizations.
• Conducting a thorough market analysis to understand emerging trends and drivers in water reuse nationwide.
• Establishing WateReuse South Carolina to support the continued adoption of water reuse programs in the state.

Take a deeper dive into the accomplishments of 2021:

The Call for Presentations is now live for the 2022 WateReuse California Conference, September 11-13 in San Francisco! Learn more about conference themes, review important dates, and submit your proposal by following the link below.

On-Demand from Anywhere |  Ongoing until April 30, 2022

This year’s theme, Water Reuse: Shaping Our Past & Charting Our Future, is a call to action for the water reuse community to tap into innovation and address the urgency of our changing Earth, including floods, fires, droughts, and pandemics. View recordings of five plenary sessions and over 50 technical sessions, access PowerPoint presentations and earn Professional Development Hours.

April 27, 2022 | Washington, DC

WateReuse Association will co-host the National Water Policy Fly-In in Washington, DC as part of Water Week 2022. Join water professionals from around the country to engage federally elected officials and key policymakers about the importance of water recycling nationwide. Contact Greg Fogel for more information.

The National Water Week Policy Fly-In is co-hosted by the WateReuse Association, Water Environment Federation, National Association of Clean Water Agencies, and Water Research Foundation.

May 18th, 2022
11 am PT | 2:00 pm ET | (1 hour)
Free for members

The Four Corners region includes the arid western states of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah. These four states have several common challenges to providing reliable water supplies: rapid population growth, severe long term drought conditions, and dwindling or overallocated natural water sources. Indirect potable reuse is currently being practiced in these states, often through managed groundwater replenishment or incidental means. Is engineered potable reuse the next step to building safe, reliable, and resilient water resource portfolios?

While water utilities in the Four Corners states are taking steps toward direct potable reuse (DPR), each of these states face different implementation challenges. This panel discussion delves into the progress and issues regarding DPR in the region.