May 13, 2024

The WateReuse Association congratulates the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) in California and the Metropolitan Wastewater Management Commission (MWMC) in Oregon for receiving 2024 WaterSMART Drought Resiliency program awards. The funding for these water reuse projects came through annual appropriations, as well as Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act Funding. The Bureau of Reclamation awarded $5 million to LADWP to implement the Valley Village Park Stormwater Capture Project, which will contribute an additional 136 acre-feet of water to the local water supply and will support almost 600 households. The MWMC was awarded $4 million for its regional partnership project, which will enable the construction of a water recycling facility serving Eugene, Springfield and the Lane County metro area. This project will produce 1.3 million gallons per day of recycled water to be conveyed for industrial uses and public works, supporting local water supply resilience efforts. The funds will be allocated in September 2024.  

Last week, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced $41 million to be allocated to state entities for the Sewer Overflow and Stormwater Reuse Municipal Grants Program (OSG). The OSG Program invests in planning, design, and construction to address combined sewer overflows, sanitary sewer overflows, and stormwater infrastructure and management. OSG puts a particular emphasis on assisting rural and underserved communities. These grants are awarded to states, which then distribute them to local projects. See the Formula For Determining State Allocations Here. Projects that are prioritized are those outlined in the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) Intended Use Plan (IUP) or those that have overflow control plans. Eligible applicants include the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Northern Mariana Islands. Funds must be obligated by September 30, 2025.  

WateReuse member East Valley Water District held a ceremony on Friday, May 3, to celebrate the startup of the Sterling Natural Resource Center. The facility is capable of producing up to 8 million gallons per day of recycled water to recharge the local Bunker Hill Groundwater Basin. In addition to improving water resiliency, the SNRC provides benefits to the low-income community surrounding the treatment plant with outdoor green spaces, picnic areas, a special events banquet hall, and customer service center. “Recycling water for indirect potable reuse is not just a necessity; it's a lifeline for our community’s future,” said James Morales Jr., EVWD Chairman of the Board. 

The Iowa Soybean Association published new research and analysis on reusing agricultural drainage water for crop irrigation. Precipitation in Iowa is generally adequate to produce good crops. However, yields are often limited when the timing and volume of rainfall doesn’t coincide with crop water needs. By storing drainage water in the spring to reuse in the summer as supplemental irrigation during dry periods, farmers can increase crop yields. 

New Mexico’s Water Quality Control Commission is meeting today to consider new regulations for water reuse proposed by New Mexico Environment Department (NMED), a WateReuse member. The proposed regulations would consider the reuse of produced water – a byproduct of oil and gas operations – the use of which has faced opposition from some environmental advocates. Responding to concerns, NMED representatives highlighted that the rule would expressly prohibit the discharge of any treated or untreated produced water to groundwater and surface water, and that their rules would only allow pilot studies for non-potable uses. “As the regulators responsible for the quality of our state’s waters, we take our duty to protect human health and the environment seriously,” said NMED’s Deputy Secretary Sydney Lienemann.