, Save Big on the Symposium, Apply for New Drought & Stormwater Funding

News from the Leading Advocate for Water Reuse

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August 21, 2023

Mark Your Calendar: Be a Symposium Super Saver

The 2024 WateReuse Symposium will take place March 11-14, 2024 in Denver, Colorado.

WateReuse members will enjoy an exclusive opportunity to register at the lowest-possible Super Saver rate from September 20 through October 11, 2023! Mark your calendar today to register on September 20 and save big!

You won’t want to miss this opportunity to learn and network at the premier global water reuse event. The Symposium will convene in Colorado: the first state in the U.S. to adopt comprehensive direct potable reuse regulations. Join us for tours of cutting-edge Colorado facilities, exciting downtown Denver networking, and presentations on topics that explore barriers and opportunities from regional mega-projects to building-scale and small community reuse solutions. Come and celebrate mile-high opportunities with WateReuse Association in Denver!

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Nominate an Industrial Water Reuse Champion by September 15

Now is your chance to nominate a global Industrial Water Reuse Champion! The award recognizes Fortune 1000 companies that incorporate the best-in-class water recycling and reuse programs to improve water stewardship and achieve their water management goals. We encourage you to submit awards nominations on behalf of your facilities or those of your clients!

The Industrial Water Reuse Champion Award is presented by the WateReuse Association , U.S. Chamber of Commerce , Veolia , University of Pennsylvania Water Center , and the International Desalination Association .

Nominate Today

Washington Update

U.S. EPA Announces Availability of $50 million for Sewer Overflow and Stormwater Reuse Projects

Last week, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the availability of $50 million for the Sewer Overflow and Stormwater Reuse Municipal Grants Program, which supports stormwater management projects that reduce, manage, treat, or reuse stormwater or subsurface drainage water. As with the State Revolving Fund Programs, EPA provides funding allotments to states, which in turn provide grants to municipalities that apply and meet eligibility requirements. Eligible projects include infrastructure planning, design, construction, and equipment purchases. Operations and maintenance activities are not eligible.

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BOR Makes $55 Million Available for Drought Resiliency Projects, Including Water Reuse Projects

Earlier this month, the Department of the Interior announced the availability of $195 million in drought mitigation and climate resiliency funding from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, Inflation Reduction Act, and annual appropriations. Of this amount, $55 million is being allocated to Drought Resiliency Projects, which can include water recycling projects. Under Task A of the Drought Resiliency Projects announcement—increasing the reliability of water supplies through infrastructure improvements—eligible projects include systems modifications, storing or recharging groundwater, and developing an alternative source for water supply. Applicants must be located in the Western United States or be a non-profit organization working with an entity located in the West. The award ceiling is $5M and applications are due October 31. Eligible applicants include states, tribes, irrigation districts, water districts, and others with water or power delivery authority. The Bureau of Reclamation will also be hosting a webinar on these funding announcements on Thursday, August 24, 2023 at 1:30pm ET. The same link can be used to view the recording.

Read the Announcement

U.S. EPA Releases Monitoring Data for Twenty-Nine Different PFAS, Implications for Regulations and Reuse

Under the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), every five years the U.S. EPA must monitor drinking water for certain priority contaminants that are not yet subject to drinking water regulations. EPA uses the Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR) to provide nationally representative data on the occurrence of contaminants in drinking water, the number of people potentially exposed, and an estimate of exposure levels. On August 17, EPA released the first set of data under the 5th UCMR, through which EPA is studying 29 per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from 2023 to 2025. This initial release represents approximately 7% of the total results that EPA expects to receive over the next three years. EPA will update the results quarterly and share them with the public in the National Contaminant Occurrence Database (NCOD) until completion of data reporting in 2026.

From the small number of public water systems currently reporting, data shows that three of the four PFAS chemicals with existing health advisories exceeded those advisory levels. Of the remaining twenty-five chemicals, which are less widely studied and don’t have health advisories, nine were measured at or above their minimum reporting level. This data collection effort will allow EPA to work toward informed decisions about PFAS regulations and policy for drinking water in the coming years.

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WateReuse Urges White House to Issue Build America, Buy America Waiver for Title XVI Reuse Projects

The WateReuse Association delivered a letter late last week to Livia Shmavonian, Director of the White House Made in America Office. In the letter, we urge the White House and Department of Interior to issue a Build America, Buy America (BABA) programmatic waiver for Title XVI projects that completed feasibility studies prior to May 14, 2022, the effective date of BABA requirements. Ahead of developing the letter, we surveyed WateReuse members to better understand how the compliance requirements would impact projects where a feasibility study had been completed prior to the new BABA provisions. In the letter, WateReuse argues that a simple extension of the BABA compliance deadline for these Title XVI projects is insufficient, and that a full compliance waiver is needed. Without a full waiver, entities could be forced to restart the feasibility study process–delaying projects, adding costs, and leading some to consider abandoning programs altogether.

Read the Letter

NOAA’s Climate Resilience Regional Challenge Extended to August 28, 2023

Following the major disaster declaration for Hawaii, NOAA’s Climate Resilience Regional Challenge has been extended one week, until August 28 at midnight Eastern Time. Eligible applicants for this opportunity include coastal states, territories, tribes, counties, cities, or other political subdivisions, institutions of higher education, non-profit organizations, and regional planning councils. The program contains two tracks. Track 1 is for Regional Collaborative Building & Strategy Development, highlighting capacity building efforts, equitable outcomes, and collaboration on resilience adaptation strategy development. Projects will range from $500K - $2 million, with total funding for Track 1 projects set at $25 million. Track 2 is Implementation of Resilience & Adaptation Actions, focusing on the implementation of previous resilience and adaptation planning efforts. Projects under Track 2 range from $15 million - $75 million, with total funding set at approximately $550 million. Both tracks can fund water reuse projects and emphasize risk reduction, regional collaboration, equity, and sustainable capacity building.

Apply Here

State Updates and Member Profiles

Welcome New WateReuse Member!

The WateReuse Association and WateReuse Florida welcome Apollo Water Technologies. Apollo offers services in municipal wastewater treatment, industrial wastewater treatment, drinking water preparation, and environmental stewardship, as well as oil and gas services. Apollo utilizes its Gas Infusion System, proprietary chemicals, and modular design to increase treatment capacity and discharge water that is environmentally sound. Apollo’s proprietary solutions eliminate contaminates, stop pollution, and clean water affordably. Apollo’s patent-pending Apcotane eliminates high concentrations of H2S in crude oil, and cleans all contaminants from produced water to meet disposal and reuse standards for oil or land use applications.

Apollo Water Technologies

AZ: State Releases Public Perception Research Report

As part of their Advanced Water Purification (Direct Potable Reuse) rulemaking process, the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) conducted research to gauge public perception. Last week, ADEQ published a report on their findings. The report identifies a high level of concern about Arizona’s water supply and the economic impacts of drought on regional growth. Stakeholders expressed some concern about the cost and “yuck factor” of direct potable reuse, but also a willingness to learn more and get creative in solving Arizona’s water problems. The politicization of science and government programs also emerged as a potential challenge for water reuse in the state. ADEQ will use the results to provide tools and resources for municipalities, water/wastewater industry professionals, local leaders, and potential consumers about Advanced Water Purification.

CA: Inland Empire Utilities Agency Selects Jacobs for Major Water Reuse Program

Inland Empire Utilities Agency (IEUA) is planning a series of integrated water infrastructure projects including intra-basin recycled water conveyance, groundwater injection and replenishment, and an advanced water purification facility to produce up to 15,000 acre-feet per year of purified water for indirect potable reuse, enough water for nearly 100,000 residents. IEUA recently selected Jacobs to provide program management, owners engineering services, and strategic funding advisory services for these projects.

Proposals Due September 14
for 2024 WateReuse Symposium

Submit your proposal to present at the 2024 WateReuse Symposium in Denver, Colorado, March 11-14, 2024. Proposals are due September 14, 2023!

Transform your ideas, best practices, and research into a presentation for the 2024 WateReuse Symposium. Presentations are meant to spark imagination, encourage dialogue, and drive new solutions for greater adoption of water recycling. Demonstrate your thought leadership and build your professional network with a place on the podium at the 2024 WateReuse Symposium.

Submit Your Proposal Today

WateReuse Events and Webcasts Calendar

Florida Webcast: Navigating the PFAS Waters from a Water Reuse Perspective

September 13, 2023
9 am PT | 12 pm ET (1 hour 30 minutes)
Free to WateReuse members

U.S. EPA has proposed the first-ever National Primary Drinking Water Regulation to limit six PFAS chemicals and is also proposing to designate both PFOA and PFOS as “hazardous substances” under CERCLA, commonly known as Superfund. As the regulatory framework is finalized, what is the current thinking on how best to monitor, manage, and treat PFAS from a water reuse perspective? How will current and future uses of recycled water, such as irrigation and direct/indirect potable reuse, be impacted by the proposed requirements? What PFAS-related concerns might Florida end users have when using recycled water? This webcast will cover the PFAS challenges from regulatory, agriculture, and utility perspectives in Florida.

Rescheduled - Webcast: Are We Ready for Next Generation Potable Reuse Projects?

December 14, 2023
10 am PT | 1 pm ET (1 hour)
Free to WateReuse members

This webcast will explore what the next generation of water and resource recovery facilities will look like, and the steps that we need to take to develop the future of potable reuse. Our panel of experts will lay out how and where we can incorporate technical innovations into potable reuse treatment facilities to make them more robust, resilient, and sustainable. The panelists will discuss reducing carbon footprint, recovering heat and material, contributing to the circular economy, and creating public and private partnership opportunities.

2023 WateReuse Texas Conference

Frisco, TX
September 20-22, 2023

2023 WateReuse Pacific Northwest Track at PNCWA

Tacoma, WA
September 11-13, 2023

2023 WateReuse California Conference

Indian Wells, CA
November 5-7, 2023

Save the Date: 2024 WateReuse Symposium

Removing Barriers, Elevating Opportunities
Denver, CO
March 11-14, 2024

Presentation Proposal Deadline: September 14

Submit a Presentation Proposal

Partner Events

Water Workforce Webinar: Women in Water

September 28, 2023
10am PT | 1 pm ET (1 hour 30 minutes)

The U.S. EPA’s Water Workforce Webinars were developed in partnership with WateReuse Association and other partners as part of the National Water Reuse Action Plan. The September webinar will highlight three speakers and their journey to their current positions and also address some of the challenges and opportunities they see for women wishing to make water a truly exceptional career.

Speakers:

Jamie Hughes, Program Manager, Clean Water Services
Maggie Macomber, Engineering Program Manager, Charlotte Water
Rochelle Verspui, Assistant Wastewater Shift Supervisor, East Bay Municipal Utility District

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