February 21, 2023

Sunday, February 26 is the final day to purchase an advance registration for the 2023 WateReuse Symposium, March 5-8 in Atlanta. Register today and save! After Sunday, all registrations will be at the onsite rate of $1,500 for members or $1,800 for non-members. Register now to take advantage of seven technical tracks, nearly 70 hours of professional development, a vibrant exhibit hall, and much more!

The U.S. Department of Commerce International Trade Administration’s Office of Russia, Ukraine, and Eurasia briefed the WateReuse Association’s International Committee during its first quarter meeting on water recycling activities the Department is undertaking. Evan Johnson, International Trade Specialist, discussed his team’s growing interests in providing updated water technologies and resources in Central Asia. Johnson shared the water supply challenges facing the region, including outdated treatment technology, dwindling water resources, and growing water intensive crops. The Department of Commerce is interested in developing water reuse case studies relevant to Central Asia and discussed potential technical assistance the Committee could provide. If you are interested in learning more about the discussion or joining the International Committee, please reach out to Monika Merk.

Earlier this month, WateReuse met with the U.S. Government Services Administration’s (GSA), the federal agency that oversees management of all federal facilities, programmatic staff to discuss the role of water reuse in federal buildings. Currently, as part of a broader update to the Facilities Standard (P100), GSA is drafting standards and specifications that would encourage water reuse in federal buildings, which, when finalized, could be a significant step toward integrating water recycling in federal buildings. WateReuse will be providing feedback on the proposed revisions to the standards. WateReuse and GSA also discussed opportunities to highlight water reuse efforts currently ongoing in federal buildings, and resource needs of building designers to implement water reuse. WateReuse and GSA will continue these discussions moving forward.

As part of implementing the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), the U.S. EPA released Water Infrastructure Technical Assistance (TA) resources, to provide information about resources available to help communities access EPA water-related technical assistance programs. The site includes a fact sheet providing an overview of technical assistance resources, a new Water TA Request Form to help communities access assistance, a breakdown of the types of technical assistance available, and a link to sign up for alerts from EPA’s Water Finance Center. WateReuse members can use EPA’s TA resources to support the development of water reuse projects through the Clean and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds and other programs.

Last week, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) released Water Recycling for Climate Resilience Through Enhanced Aquifer Recharge (EAR) and Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR). The published report summarizes technical and policy considerations influencing how recycled water can be used to recharge groundwater. It includes a discussion of EAR and ASR drivers, current practices in the U.S., potential subsurface water quality changes and technical considerations, treatment needs, and regulatory considerations. The document was completed in coordination with other EPA program offices, and is a product of the National Water Reuse Action Plan, Action 7.4: Increase Understanding of Current Aquifer Storage and Recovery Practices. You can learn more about EAR and ASR at the 2023 WateReuse Symposium, including a session on Validating Advanced Water Treatment for Managed Aquifer Recharge in Anne Arundel County, MD.

Ahead of the expected release of proposed National Primary Drinking Water Regulations for Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in the coming weeks, the U.S. EPA announced $2 billion in available funding through the Emerging Contaminants in Small or Disadvantaged Communities Grant (SDC) for addressing emerging contaminants (EC) in drinking water. The funding is part of a total of $5 billion provided for the program through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. In support of the SDC announcement, the U.S. EPA released an Implementation Manual. The implementation manual includes information about eligibility criteria and other program details. Water recycling projects that treat water to remove PFAS and other emerging contaminants in small or disadvantaged communities are eligible for funding through this program.

In preparation for the release of the proposed PFAS National Primary Drinking Water Regulations, WateReuse is convening a working group of interested members to provide input and comment on the proposed rule. If you are interested in participating in this working group, please reach out to Aliza Furneaux.

The WateReuse Association, in collaboration with our partner organizations, is collecting information from across the water sector about demand for water recycling projects across the U.S. This survey asks respondents to provide information about current and potential water recycling projects expected to be undertaken within the next five years. For respondents that are planning projects, the survey seeks information related to timeline, service area, projected volume produced, cost, and use applications. Thank you for helping us better understand the extent to which communities are planning to integrate water reuse in their water resources management operations!

A recent article from Stanford University’s Bill Lane Center for the American West elevates water reuse as a key solution to California’s water woes. It summarizes California’s current reuse of approximately 728,000 acre-feet of water per year and explores the path towards the state’s goal to roughly double that amount by 2040. The article highlights the efforts of many WateReuse Association members: Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, Los Angeles Sanitation, Monterey One Water, Orange County Water District, Valley Water, and Soquel Creek Water District. Read more.

Earlier this week, Governor Gavin Newsom signed an Executive Order in an effort to bring more water certainty and stability to California. The order gives state agencies additional mechanisms to speed up the permitting and implementation of groundwater recharge and stormwater capture and reuse projects. California is reinforcing its support for stormwater capture after the state experienced its wettest three weeks on record this past winter – followed by an unseasonably dry February. The order also requests officials to evaluate the rules on reservoir releases and water diversions – aiming to improve water quality and in-stream conditions for wildlife. Read more.

Boulder, CO
May 2, 2023

Flagstaff, Arizona
July 24-26, 2023

Frisco, Texas
September 20-22, 2023

Tacoma, WA
September 11-13, 2023

Indian Wells, CA
November 5-7, 2023