
COVID-19 and Water Reuse: The Latest Information and Resources at Your Fingertips
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the WateReuse Association has used WateReuse Review to share the latest information from federal agencies and water sector partners to help our members navigate these challenging times. We have also hosted a webcast series covering issues related to water recycling and COVID-19 and provided a forum for you to share your stories and insights. These resources continue to be available to you on our COVID-19 webpage.
WateReuse will continue to bring you COVID-19 breaking news and new resources in WateReuse Review each week. We also invite you to continue to share your stories about how your agency or company is addressing challenges associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. Please email your insights to info@watereuse.org for inclusion in a future issue of WateReuse Review or share your story on our online platform, WateReuse Connect.
Washington Update
Welcome to Virtual Water Week 2020, Our Opportunity to Elevate Investment in Water Recycling
Action Agenda for Water Week 2020: Advocate for Increased Federal Investment in Water Reuse
U.S. Supreme Court Expands Regulation for Water Reuse Groundwater Recharge Projects
Congress Passes Fourth COVID-19 Relief Package; Discusses Infrastructure Investment for Fifth Package
Senate Drafts of 2020 Water Infrastructure Bills Include Major Wins for Water Recycling
Western Farm Groups ask Congress for Stimulus Investments in Water Recycling
State Updates and Member Profiles
Arizona: Groundbreaking Mobile DPR Facility Moves to University of Arizona’s WEST Center
The groundbreaking mobile direct potable reuse (DPR) treatment system that toured Arizona, Texas, Colorado, and Idaho and made stops at two Annual WateReuse Symposiums and WEFTEC is being relocated to the University of Arizona’s WEST Center. The Water & Energy Sustainable Technology (WEST) Center develops new technologies that deal with water scarcity and reuse. First used for the AZ Pure Water Brew Challenge, a competition in which 32 craft brewers competed to make the best beer with purified water, the trailer went on to visit other states and national water conferences. The initiative was a partnership of several WateReuse Association member organizations and WateReuse Arizona. Read More.
California: Water Board Declares Recycled Water Safe from COVID-19 Virus
The California Water Board released a fact sheet explaining that California’s recycled water and treated wastewater are safe from the COVID-19 virus. According to the fact sheet, sanitation experts have determined that existing treatment plant disinfection processes successfully disinfect wastewater containing the COVID-19 virus. Municipal wastewater treatment plants in California go beyond minimum requirements and provide additional tertiary filtration treatment to meet stringent State Water Board public health standards for water disposal or water recycling whenever there is a risk to the public.
Illinois: American Water Upgrades Champaign County Facility to Recycle Process Water
Illinois American Water is installing a new recycle pump station in Champaign County that will allow water used in the treatment process to be captured and reused. The project will enhance water quality and reduce demand on Mahomet Aquifer by an estimated 182 million gallons a year. The project will begin operating later this year. Read More.
Kentucky: Maker’s Mark Adds Water Reuse System for Cooling Towers
Maker’s Mark has installed a water reuse system that is providing about 15,000 gallons of water for cooling each day. By adding a second pass to its existing reverse osmosis system, the bourbon distiller is able to reclaim reject water for use in cooling towers and reduce the use of municipal water. In a recent interview, a Makers Mark representative discussed the direct connection between the quality of the bourbon and the health of the local watershed. Read More.
Member Spotlight: Greyter Water Systems’ Residential Reuse System Featured in Better Builder Magazine
WateReuse Association member Greyter’s residential water technology is bringing new water management solutions to homes. The Greyter HOME system captures water from showers and bathtubs, treats it to a near-potable quality and provides clear, odor-free water to meet a home’s toilet flushing demands. Many municipalities are recognizing the benefits of residential water recycling to conserve regional water supplies and create water-efficient communities, especially in areas where growth is constrained by limited water resources. Read More.
Denim Manufacturer Uses Water Recycling to Save 1.85 Billion Gallons of Water
Kontoor Brands, manufacturer of Wrangler and Levi’s, announced that it has exceeded its 2020 global year-end water savings goal thanks to water recycling and conservation. Wrangler, for example, recycles up to 85% of the water used in its manufacturing facility in Torreon, Mexico and has committed to a dying process that uses 100% less water. In 2008, Kontoor Brands set a goal of reducing water use globally by 1.45 billion gallons by the end of 2020. As of the first quarter of this year, the manufacturer has already reached a 1.85 billion gallon reduction in water use. Read More.
Global Spotlight
World Bank Initiative Explores Innovative Applications of Water Reuse
The World Bank released a report that calls for increased water recycling and highlights the public health and environmental benefits that innovative wastewater management can provide. The report discusses challenges and lessons learned from the Latin American and the Caribbean region’s “Wastewater: From Waste to Resource” initiative. The report recommends planning wastewater treatment across the river basin, moving from treatment plants to resource recovery facilities, implementing innovative financing and business models, and the implementation of policies that remove barriers to more widespread adoption of water recycling. Read More.
WateReuse Communications Tools and Resources
Use WateReuse Connect to Learn and Exchange Ideas with Peers Across the Nation
In this time of social distancing, opportunities for peer-to-peer networking are more important than ever. WateReuse members can use WateReuse Connect to access a member-to-member network of more than 7,000 water recycling practitioners, business leaders, regulators, academics, and technology providers. Post your questions, observations, and unique challenges on our online platform to benefit from the unique experiences of other members across the nation and around the world. It’s simple to use with your member login information. For help accessing WateReuse Connect, please contact Erin DiMenna, WateReuse Member Services Director.
Conferences and Events
Webcast: What We Know – Communicating about Recycled Water in the Age of COVID-19
Communities embrace water reuse as a proven method to ensure a safe, reliable, and locally controlled water supply, but in the age of COVID-19 new questions are being asked about public health and worker safety. Please join us on Tuesday, April 28 at 2 pm ET to learn how you can respond to those inquires accurately and effectively. Researchers at the forefront of this issue will join us for an informative update on what we know about recycled water and COVID-19. Experts in water reuse communications will follow with guidance on risk communication and messaging. This is an essential presentation for anyone that communicates about recycled water. Register Now!
Upcoming Events

8:00 am PT | 11 am ET | 5:00 pm CET (1 hour 30 minutes)
WateReuse Members: Free; Others: $49
PDHs: 1.5
Germany’s Approach to Water Reuse for Agricultural and Landscape Irrigation
Despite Germany’s temperate climate and history of adequate water resources, the country is experiencing droughts and extreme weather trends as a result of climate change. Germany’s increasing interest in employing water reuse for agricultural and landscape irrigation can serve as a model for other temperate regions facing these trends.
Join us for this 90-minute webcast covering the full timeline of reuse in Germany, including reuse initiatives which have existed for decades, future outlooks for reuse in Germany, and the recent European Water Reuse Regulation (2020/741) which went into effect in June 2023. Our panel of research and utility experts will also present ongoing research related to non-potable reuse of municipal wastewater for agricultural and landscape irrigation, which is part of the German BMBF Water Technologies: Reuse (WavE) funding program.
Moderator:
- Dr. Veronika Zhiteneva, Project Manager, Kompetenzzentrum Wasser Berlin
Speakers:
- Dr. Christina Jungfer, Project Manager, DECHEMA
- Prof. Dr. Jörg E. Drewes, Chair of Urban Water Systems Engineering, Technical University of Munich
- Markus Büttner, Environmental Engineer, Stadtentwässerung SCHWEINFURT
- Prof. Dr. Thomas Wintgens, Chair of Urban Water Management and Institute of Environemtnal Engineering, RWTH Aachen University
- Prof. Dr. Thomas Dockhorn, Director, Institute of Sanitary and Environmental Engineering, Technical University of Braunschweig
- Prof Dr. Aki S. Ruhl, German Environment Agency, Technical University of Berlin
Add to Calendar

11:00 am PT | 2 pm ET (1 hour)
WateReuse Members: Free; Others: $49
PDHs: 1
High-recovery desalination processes offer the benefit of increasing water recovery, generally with increasing cost and complexity. Reverse osmosis and electrodialysis desalination processes will be reviewed and compared with respect to high-recovery water reuse applications.
Moderator:
Erin Young, R.G.
Hydrogeologist | Water Resources Manager
City of Flagstaff Water Services
eyoung@flagstaffaz.gov | w: (928) 213-2405
Presenter:
Shane Walker, Ph.D., P.E.
Director, Water Resources Center
Professor, Civil, Environmental, & Construction Engineering
Texas Tech University
806-834-0823
Add to Calendar
Please join the Emerging Professionals Committee for a tour of MWD’s Weymouth Water Treatment Plant on November 1, 2023, from 10 am – 12 pm! Tour capacity is limited to 30 people so please RSVP ASAP to reserve your spot at the link here: https://forms.gle/gxGhtcBLVwWMTG1F7
Constructed in 1941, the Weymouth Water Treatment Plant is the first water treatment plant constructed by the MWD and now has a treatment capacity of 520 million gallons per day! Please check out the fact sheet here for more information: water-treatment-plants-fact-sheet-final_web.pdf (mwdh2o.com)
Event Address: 700 Moreno Ave, La Verne, CA 91750
Parking is available on site.
Following the tour, anyone who is hungry is open to join us at In-N-Out Burger:
Restaurant Address: 2098 Foothill Blvd, La Verne, CA 91750
For more information, please contact Seto Cherchian at 714.944.4726 or