April 1, 2019

Washington Update

WateReuse Association Adopts Alternative Water Supply Principles

WateReuse Plans Congressional Briefing During Water Week Fly in

EPA Prioritizes Water Reuse in WIFIA Funding Announcement

WateReuse Association Delivers FY20 Appropriations Requests

Upcoming Congressional Hearings Likely Spotlight Water Recycling

This week, the House of Representatives will hold two important hearings with relevance to water reuse. First, the House Interior-Environment Appropriations Subcommittee, which determines annual funding levels for EPA programs, will hear from EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler regarding the Presidents FY 2020 budget request. Second, the House Natural Resources Committee’s Water Subcommittee will hold a hearing on “The State of Western Water Infrastructure and Innovation.” Vicente Sarmiento, Board President of WateReuse Association member Orange County Water District, will be testifying at the hearing.

State Updates and Member Profiles

Arizona and Colorado Offer Student Scholarships to Support Water Reuse Focus

WateReuse Arizona and WateReuse Colorado both released award opportunities to encourage college students with a water reuse focus. Arizona will award two $2,500 scholarships to Arizona university and college students. WateReuse Coloarda is offering three $1,500 scholarships. The deadline to submit applications for both programs is June 15, 2019. To learn more about the WateReuse Arizona scholarships, click here. To learn more about the WateReuse Colorado scholarships, click here.

California: Pure Water Oceanside Construction Set to Begin this Year

WateReuse Association member the City of Oceanside is ready to begin construction on Pure Water Oceanside, a water purification system that will create 3 to 5 million gallons of drinking water daily. Construction will begin at the end of this year and will finish in 2021. Residents will start receiving the water from this new system in 2022. Oceanside is also expanding its nonpotable recycled water system as part of a plan to reduce the imported water rate from 89 to 44 percent. Read More.

California: WRCA Opposes SB 332 Unless Amended, Applauds AB 1180 Passage Out of Committee

On March 25, WateReuse California submitted a letter to State Senators Robert Hertzberg and Scott Wiener opposing SB 332 unless it is amended significantly to create a framework for achieving attainable goals for promoting water recycling in California, and reducing ocean and bay wastewater discharges. The legislation seeks to reduce wastewater discharge into the ocean. On March 26, AB 1180, a WateReuse California sponsored bill to update non-potable recycled water regulations, passed out of the Assembly Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials Committee. The bill makes updating California’s Title 22 regulations a higher priority. WateReuse California is asking members to submit letters of support. For more information, contact Jennifer West, Managing Director for WRCA.

Research Update

Winners to Share $80,000 Prize for Ideas to Improve Pathogen Monitoring for Potable Reuse

The Bureau of Reclamation has selected five submissions to share $80,000 in prizes in the Pathogen Monitoring Stage 1 Challenge to develop better pathogen detection and monitoring for potable reuse. WateReuse Association member Xylem, Inc. contributed half of the prize purse. The Water Research Foundation and the Environmental Protection Agency were also partners in the competition to seek ideas for the development of a rapid, accurate and preferably online/onsite monitoring techniques for various pathogens at advanced water treatment facilities. Read More.

Conferences and Events

Webcast: Selecting the Best Technology for Water Reuse: Overview of the MBR Process

Is membrane bioreactor (MBR) technology the right solution for your water reuse application? Offering a smaller footprint, smaller price tag, and high quality treatment, MBRs are a compelling solution for advanced water reuse applications. Please join us at April 10 at 2 pm eastern for a webcast that will provide an overview of the MBR process using flat plate MBR membranes. You will learn about the types of membranes and benefits of each, operations, maintenance, and screening. If you are considering an MBR system or maintaining an existing system, this presentation will provide you with a deeper understanding of the MBR process and the information you need to decide if MBR technology makes sense for your facility. Learn More.

Webcast: Bioanalytical Screening Tools for Recycled Water – An Emerging Technology to Assess Complex Mixtures in Aquatic Environments

What’s the next big thing in monitoring recycled water quality? Please join us May 15 at 2 p.m. eastern to learn how In vitro cell-based assays have shown promise as bioscreening tools to assess environmental mixtures and prioritize sites requiring further investigations. These assays are designed to respond to groups of chemicals. As such, they offer an integrative approach to complement conventional chemical and toxicity testing. Learn More.

Register for the 8th Annual Water Reuse in Texas Conference

WateReuse Texas, Water Environment Association of Texas, and Texas American Water Works Association will host the 8th Annual Water Reuse in Texas Conference, May 23-24, in McAllen, Texas. The program will present the latest on operations, financing, planning, and water quality. Pat Sinicropi, Executive Director of WateReuse Association, will provide a keynote discussion on the future of water reuse, Texas’ role as a reuse pioneer, and EPA’s upcoming Water Reuse Action Plan. Learn More.

Save the Date: 34th Annual WateReuse Symposium in San Diego, California

Mark your calendar for the 34th Annual WateReuse Symposium is in San Diego, California on September 8-11, 2019. This year’s theme is “Collaborate to Innovate.” The Symposium will showcase recycled water collaborations among utilities, farmers, and industry; regulators working together at both the state and federal level; sustainability; public/private partnerships; and, for the first time, the latest in reuse research led by the Water Research Foundation. Learn More.

Upcoming Events