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August 24, 2020

Advanced Registration Closes September 2 for 35th Annual WateReuse Virtual Symposium – Register Today to Reserve Your Spot

Washington Update

EPA Approves Water Reuse Efforts as Part of Virginia’s Water Quality Improvement Plan

Virginia’s $659 million water infrastructure improvements plan for Fiscal Year 2020, includes a $179 million loan to Hampton Roads Sanitation District’s (HRSD) Sustainable Water Infrastructure Tomorrow (SWIFT) System and a $27.8 million loan to the Upper Occoquan Service Authority (UOSA), among four other projects.

At this year’s WateReuse Symposium, you can learn more about HRSD’s SWIFT system which treats water that would otherwise be discharged to the river to drinking water quality standards using advanced water treatment. The loan to UOSA will be used to upgrade the Millard H. Robbins, Jr. water reclamation facility with ozone and new electrical work and piping. The U.S. EPA approved Virginia’s plan providing $32.5 million in funding.

USDA Announces Funding for Regional Conservation Partnership Program

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) released a notice of funding availability for up to $360 million for the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) in fiscal years 2020 and 2021. RCPP funds partnerships between farmers and entities such as non-government organizations and municipal agencies to address local or regional natural resource concerns. For example, a utility could put together a project, in partnership with a local farm group or conservation district, to provide recycled water to farmers in their service area.

The National Resources Conservation Service (NCRS) seeks to co-invest with partners to implement projects that demonstrate innovative solutions to a range conservation challenges. View the grant funding opportunity here.

WateReuse Awards for Excellence

Submit a Nomination for the 2021 WateReuse Awards for Excellence by September 30

Is your utility or business demonstrating leadership in advancing water recycling? Or do you know of an organization, individual, or partnership that has implemented an innovative solution that will inspire others? If so, submit a nomination for the 2021 WateReuse Awards for Excellence to get the recognition you deserve. Nominations are due September 30, 2020.

The 2021 WateReuse Awards for Excellence will recognize accomplishments for 2019 and 2020. Winners will be recognized in conjunction with the 36th Annual WateReuse Symposium, March 14-17, 2021. Submit a nomination now!

State Updates and Member Profiles

Arizona: Recycled Water Provides Habitat for Endangered Fish

The Arizona Game and Fish Department is poised to release up to 1,000 endangered Gila topminnows in a once dry stretch of the Santa Cruz River that runs through downtown Tucson. Tucson Water has been releasing reclaimed water through its Santa Cruz River Heritage Project since June 2019. The fish already live 45 miles upstream of downtown Tucson in the Santa Cruz. Read More.

Member Spotlight: Reverse Osmosis Helps Yucaipa Provide Pure Recycled Water

Southern California’s Yucaipa Valley Water District has found that the addition of reverse osmosis membranes at its Wochholz Regional Water Recycling Facility is providing the community with exceptionally pure recycled water. The membranes give the facility an advantage in water quality and control of the water treatment plant. The facility continues to test the effectiveness of removing viruses and has conducted whole scale system testing for pathogen removal. Read More.

California: Orange County Awarded $5 Million to Expand Potable Reuse

The Orange County Water District (OCWD) was awarded $5 million in grants from the California State Water Resources Control Board for use toward the construction of the Groundwater Replenishment System (GWRS) Final Expansion project. The GWRS came online in 2008, producing 70 million gallons per day (MGD) of near-distilled quality water. It underwent an expansion in 2015, increasing production to 100 MGD. Its second and final expansion began in 2019 and will increase capacity to 130 MGD. The GWRS is a joint project between OCWD and Orange County Sanitation District and is the world’s largest water reuse project of its kind. Read More.

International Update

Australia: Recycled Water Plant Provides Water for a Planned Development

Property developer, Celestino, and a private water utility, Flow Systems, teamed up to build a recycled water treatment plant for a new residential development near Sydney. The initiative will provide non-potable recycled water to residents, avoiding any future water restrictions for the new community. Flow Systems believes recycled water is necessary to meet the region’s growing water needs and to build drought resilience. Read More.

Canada: Brewery Uses Beer to Highlight Water Reuse’s Role in a Sustainable Future

Village Brewery released a limited-edition Village Blonde Natural Golden Ale, brewed using recycled water to educate the public about water reuse. The brewery partnered with the University of Calgary’s Advancing Canadian Water Assets and Xylem to ensure the treatment process, which included tertiary treatment with advanced oxidation and nanofiltration, met all safety and drinking water guidelines.  Read More.

Member Resources and Benefits

Are Your Colleagues Connected? Take Advantage of Member Access for Your Entire Team

As a WateReuse Association member organization, your entire staff is entitled to receive our valuable member benefits including WateReuse Review delivered to your inbox, complimentary webcasts, conference discounts, and access to member-only content on the website. To make sure this newsletter and other member alerts reach your team, please circulate our Member Registration Link. Ask your staff to list their Current Employer exactly as shown in our Member Listing so our system recognizes them as a member. From there, we’ll communicate with them directly about all of the resources, materials, and expertise available to WateReuse members.

Conferences and Events

Watch Now: WateReuse Members Discuss Recycled Water in California

WateReuse Association members participated in a panel discussion on recycled water in California during a recent virtual conference sponsored by the Building Industry Association of Southern California. Panelists included Shivaji Deshmukh, General Manager of Inland Empire Utilities Agency, and Brad Coffey, Water Resource Manager for the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. Jennifer West, Managing Director of WateReuse California, moderated the session. Watch Here.

WateReuse Arizona Hosts Virtual Sessions on Key Arizona Issues

WateReuse Arizona hosted a panel discussion titled Past, Present and Future Reuse as Part of Arizona’s Water Portfolio on July 30, 2020. The panel included representatives from cities of Scottsdale, Flagstaff, Phoenix, Goodyear, Town of Gilbert and Tucson Water and was moderated by Troy Walker of Hazen and Sawyer. The panel explored how communities from Northern to Southern Arizona and from East to West Valley use treated effluent as a component of their water resources portfolio.

The next Arizona section meeting will be held virtually on October 29, 2020. Maria Brady of Stantec Consulting will present: What Strikes Fear in the Hearts of Arizona Water and Wastewater Utilities? Brine Management. This is an important topic for Arizona utilities and useful for any utility facing similar salinity issues Learn More.

Upcoming Events

Dec
7
Thu
San Diego Chapter Meeting @ San Diego County Water Authority in Kearny Mesa
Dec 7 @ 3:00 pm – 6:00 pm

Save the date for our December chapter meeting!

Please save the date for our last chapter meeting of the year on Thursday, December 7 at 3 p.m. This meeting will be held in person at the San Diego County Water Authority in Kearny Mesa, followed by a happy hour at Khan’s Cave The meeting will include a presentation from Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District on their recycled water project, 2024 officer elections, regulatory updates, and more! We look forward to seeing you all there.   Mark your calendars and stay tuned for more information coming soon.
Dec
8
Fri
Meeting of the Board of Directors – Fourth Quarter 2023
Dec 8 @ 11:00 am – 2:00 pm

Friday, December 8, 2023

11:00 am to 2:00 pm ET (Remote)

Dec
12
Tue
Orange County Chapter Meeting @ Virtual
Dec 12 @ 11:30 am – 1:30 pm

Our next Orange County Chapter meeting will be held on December 12th from 12:00pm to 1:30pm. Meeting will be virtual only. In addition to our regular standing items, our main presentation will be by Jennifer West with WateReuse California.

Please RSVP so we can get an accurate headcount: RSVP Response Form. Thank you.

Dec
13
Wed
WateReuse Florida December Board Meeting
Dec 13 @ 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
Dec
14
Thu
WateReuse Webcast: Carbon Based Advanced Treatment for Water Reuse. Sponsored by Hazen & Sawyer
Dec 14 @ 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm
WateReuse Webcast: Carbon Based Advanced Treatment for Water Reuse. Sponsored by Hazen & Sawyer

11 am PT | 2 pm ET (1 hour)
WateReuse Members: Free; Others: $49
PDHs: 1

Register Now!

With water supply limitations driven by factors such as population growth, urbanization, and climate change, along with more stringent regulatory requirements for wastewater discharges, direct or indirect potable reuse is becoming increasingly essential to address water resiliency issues. Carbon Based Advanced Treatment (CBAT) has increasingly been adopted as a treatment solution to treat municipal effluent to provide a safe, reliable augmentation of drinking water supplies.

CBAT involves the use of biologically activated carbon (BAC) usually with ozone, followed by granular activated carbon (GAC) to achieve advanced treatment of water. It may also include flocculation/sedimentation and UV disinfection. Join a panel of experts to explore the various combinations of this process, and get updates on key case studies using CBAT for potable reuse.

Moderator:

TBD

Speakers:

  • Andrew Newbold, Principal Engineer, Hazen & Sawyer
  • Gaya Ram Mohan, PhD, PE, Environmental Engineer, Hazen & Sayer
  • Erik Rosenfeldt, PhD, PE, National Drinking Water Practice Leader, Hazen & Sawyer
Inland Empire Chapter Meeting
Dec 14 @ 11:30 am – 1:00 pm

We will hold an inperson meeting at Western Municipal Water District.

 

Please RSVP HERE for this meeting by Thursday, December 7th

Dec
15
Fri
Arizona Water Reuse 2024 Symposium – Call for Abstracts Deadline
Dec 15 all-day
Dec
19
Tue
Pacific Northwest Section Meeting
Dec 19 @ 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
Dec
20
Wed
WateReuse Pacific Northwest: Localizing Communications Strategy
Dec 20 @ 10:00 am – 11:00 am
WateReuse Pacific Northwest: Localizing Communications Strategy

10:00 am PT | 1 pm ET (1 hour)
WateReuse Members: Free; Others: $49
PDHs: 1

Register Now!

Across the country, more and more communities are exploring reuse as part of a larger water management strategy. But even the best public projects live and die by community acceptance, and history has shown this is doubly true for water reuse projects. Community engagement is a vital element to designing and launching plans that will create lasting impact. Community engagement is not, however, a one-size-fits-all endeavor. What motivates communities in Seattle will not be the same as Boise, or rural Oregon. In this webinar, we will discuss the importance of localizing a communications and engagement strategy to reflect the values, culture and drivers of each specific community. We will look at two Pacific Northwest case studies from Boise and the WateReuse Oregon Subcommittee that demonstrate effective, local engagement approaches.

 

Moderator:

Holly Tichenor, Management Consulting National Practice Leader, Brown and Caldwell, WateReuse PNW Board President

Presenters:

  • Natalie Monro, Communications Coordinator, City of Bellingham, WateReuse PNW Board VP
  • Haley Falconer, Environmental Division Senior Manager, City of Boise
  • Jared Kinnear, Reuse Program Manager, Clean Water Services

 

Jan
16
Tue
Pacific Northwest Section Meeting
Jan 16 @ 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm

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