Following the release of the President’s FY 2024 budget request in March 2023, Congress is now deciding how much funding will go to critical water recycling programs. The President’s budget request includes full first-time funding for the Alternative Water Source Grants Pilot Program, the only nationwide water recycling grant program. Contact your members of Congress and urge them to provide $25 million for the Alternative Water Source Grants Pilot Program. The House Appropriations Committee has already started to mark up its appropriations bills, and the Senate is expected to follow in the coming weeks. Your action is needed now!

The WateReuse Association and WateReuse Texas welcome The Cow Creek Groundwater Conservation District. CCGCD was created for the purpose of conserving, preserving, recharging, protecting, and preventing waste of groundwater in Kendall County, Texas. The district collects water well and aquifer data, regulates water well drilling and production from permitted, non-exempt wells, promotes the capping or plugging of abandoned wells, provides information and educational material to local property owners, interacts with other governmental or organizational entities, and incorporates other groundwater-related activities.

Scottsdale’s Desert Monks Brewing is planning to begin permanently brewing their new lager with purified water from Scottsdale Water's Advanced Water Treatment Plant. Over the years, Scottsdale Water has hosted beer showcases and competitions to educate the public about purified recycled water. Through those events, Desert Monks “found that this water is such a clean slate to start brewing our beer with,” says Sommer Decker, one of the brewery’s owners. "It really allows the flavor of the beer to showcase itself without any other things that come with the water we would otherwise get." The brewery will pay to truck the purified water for the time being, but eventually all of Scottsdale will benefit from this new source. Scottsdale Water is working on permitting and expects to be adding purified water to their drinking water source by 2025 or 2026.

Last week, utilities across Florida celebrated Water Reuse Week. As a result of WateReuse Florida’s proactive outreach, many WateReuse members and other utilities adopted proclamations recognizing Water Reuse Week including Southwest Florida Water Management District, City of Leesburg, Jacksonville Beach, Hillsborough County, City of Tampa, Englewood Water District, and even the office of the Governor.

Sacramento-area utility Regional San has completed its $1.7 billion, decade-long EchoWater treatment plant expansion project. "Our upgraded treatment process now removes 99% of ammonia and 89% of nitrogen from the wastewater," said Regional San General Manager Christoph Dobson. "The result is cleaner water for discharge to the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and a drought-resistant, recycled water source for our Harvest Water project, one of the largest ag water recycling projects in California's history."

The City of Franklin recently opened their water purification demonstration facility, which uses granular activated carbon and ultraviolet disinfection with advanced oxidation to create potable-quality recycled water. “This is innovative for Franklin, but these processes are being utilized across the nation and around the world. They are proven to be safe, sustainable, and forward-thinking, and they position our community well for the future on so many levels,” said city administrator Eric Stuckey. Upon completion of the pilot study, the city will consider the possibility of a production-scale water reuse facility.

Last week, El Paso Water celebrated the first phase of their Enhanced Arroyo Infiltration Facility. The project will recharge the Hueco Bolson aquifer with stormwater and recycled water, and will eventually also allow for aquifer recharge from the Rio Grande river. The 2-mile project will resemble a stream channel and include recreational amenities such as walking trails. Funding comes from the Bureau of Reclamation as well as the Governor’s Military Preparedness Commission since Fort Bliss depends on the same aquifer.
Rendering courtesy of El Paso Water.

March 10-13, 2024 | Denver, CO

Be sure to mark your calendars to join us for the 2024 WateReuse Symposium!

November 5-7, 2023 | Indian Wells, CA

Submit an Abstract Today! Deadline: July 28