April 16, 2018
Washington Update
Water Week 2018 Starts this Week!
Op-Ed: Invest in Water Reuse Infrastructure for a Strong American Economy
Investment in water reuse builds communities that are modern, sustainable and stable —ready for families to flourish and businesses to grow notes WateReuse Association President Paul Jones, II of the Eastern Municipal Water District and Executive Director Patricia Sinicropi in an Op-Ed published in The Hill newspaper. The article is published as WateReuse members arrive in Washington, DC to visit with their congressional delegations during Water Week 2018.
WateReuse Submits Comments on Updated Evaluation Criteria for Title XVI
House Farm Bill Includes Source Water Protection Measures
The House Farm Bill, H.R. 2, the Agriculture & Nutrition Act of 2018, was released last Thursday and includes a proposal requiring the Secretary to promote water quality and water quantity practices to protect sources of drinking water supply. Section 2503 emphasizes the protection of source waters for drinking water, directs collaboration with community water systems, and offers increased incentives and higher payment rates for practices that result in environmental benefits. At least 10 percent of the conservation program funds are to be used for protection of drinking water sources.
State Updates and Member Profiles
California: Pure Water San Diego EIR Adopted, Construction Expected in 2019
California: Proposed Desalination Facility Receives Environmental Report
The California Public Utilities Commission and the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary recently released their joint environmental report for a seawater desalination project proposed by WateReuse Association member California American Water. The Monterey Peninsula Water Supply Project plans to incorporate a combination of desalination, potable reuse, and aquifer storage and recovery to solve the Monterey Peninsula’s water crisis. The environmental review gives the public an opportunity to assess the impact of the desalination project. Read More.
Florida: Miami-Dade Partners with Florida Power and Light to Generate Reclaimed Water, Energy
Kansas: Dairy Farm Wins EPA Award for Water Reuse program
Kansas Dairy Ingredients, a dairy production facility in Hugoton, Kansas, received the EPA Region 7 Pollution Prevention Award last Wednesday in recognition of its water conservation projects. The company manufactures concentrated milk through ultrafiltration. Water is extracted from the milk, cleaned and treated, and then reused to clean the facility or returned to local farms for crop irrigation. The recycled water reduces municipal water demand and wastewater, saving more than 41 million gallons a year. Read More.
Association News
Applications Open for Utility of the Future Today Recognition Program
The Utility of the Future Today recognition program returns for a third year to honor water resource recovery facilities for community engagement, watershed stewardship, and recovery of resources such as water, energy, and nutrients. A webinar is scheduled for utilities wishing to learn more about the program and the application process on April 25. The deadline to apply for recognition this year is May 30. Learn More.
Conferences and Events
Don’t Miss the 33rd Annual WateReuse Symposium
Learn “What’s Working, What’s New, and What’s Next in Water Reuse” at the 33rd Annual WateReuse Symposium, September 9-12, 2018, at the JW Marriott in Austin, Texas. The Annual WateReuse Symposium is the nation’s premier conference on water reuse and the only conference dedicated solely to advancing the policy, technology, innovation and public acceptance of recycled water. Registration opens in May! Learn More.
Register for the Pacific Northwest WateReuse Conference
WateReuse Pacific Northwest will host a conference May 17-18 in Portland, Oregon with the theme “Roadmap to Reuse.” More than 200 utility operators and mangers, elected officials, engineers, regulators and equipment manufacturers are expected to attend. Presentations will focus on feasibility studies, regulatory updates, public outreach, funding, and more. Learn More.
Upcoming Events
Please find below the 2024 schedule for the Legislative-Regulatory Committee. All in-person meetings will be held at the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California’s Sacramento offices located at: 1121 L Street, Suite 900, Sacramento.]
Both in-person and virtual meetings will occur from 12:30 to 2:00 pm. Those indicated as virtual will occur over Zoom and a link will be provided on the agenda.
The 2024 WRCA Annual Conference will be at the: Hyatt Regency Orange County.
Please save the date for our 2024 meeting dates:
1. January 19 – in person
2. March 8 – virtual
3. March 22 – in person
4. April 12 – virtual
5. May 10 – in person
6. May 31 – virtual
7. June 21 – virtual
8. August 9 – virtual
9. September 16 – in person (at annual conference)
Our next WateReuse Central Coast chapter meeting will be on Thursday, May 16th from 12:00pm to 2:00pm at the City of Camarillo North Pleasant Valley Groundwater Desalter. We will follow a hybrid in-person and online format with a presentation and chapter update from 12-1p followed by a site tour of the facility from 1-2p for the in-person folks. The facility transforms unusable brackish groundwater into a local source of high-quality and affordable drinking water while also removing damaging salts from the regional watershed. The treated groundwater can produce up to 3,800 acre-feet per year of potable water. The desalter was just named the Outstanding Water/Wastewater Treatment Project of the Year by ASCE Region 9.
Please RSVP here for in-person or online by May 10th if you plan to join the meeting. Lunch will be provided for those who attend in-person. Due to space constraints, in-person attendance will be limited to the first 20 people who RSVP.
Please find below the 2024 schedule for the Legislative-Regulatory Committee. All in-person meetings will be held at the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California’s Sacramento offices located at: 1121 L Street, Suite 900, Sacramento.]
Both in-person and virtual meetings will occur from 12:30 to 2:00 pm. Those indicated as virtual will occur over Zoom and a link will be provided on the agenda.
The 2024 WRCA Annual Conference will be at the: Hyatt Regency Orange County.
Please save the date for our 2024 meeting dates:
1. January 19 – in person
2. March 8 – virtual
3. March 22 – in person
4. April 12 – virtual
5. May 10 – in person
6. May 31 – virtual
7. June 21 – virtual
8. August 9 – virtual
9. September 16 – in person (at annual conference)