From Water Diversion to Water Reuse – Learn Why Water Reuse is the Wave of the Future
Washington Update
FY 2020 Funding for Water Recycling One Step Closer
Federal Agencies Cite Water Recycling as a Joint Priority for Drought Resilience
Meeting of the National Blue Ribbon Commission for Onsite Non-potable Water Systems to be held at the 34th WateReuse Symposium
Regulators from nine states and the District of Columbia will participate in a meeting of the National Blue Ribbon Commission for Onsite Non-Potable Water Systems the afternoons of September 9 and 10 during the 34th WateReuse Symposium. In May, WateReuse assumed responsibility for administering the Commission as the founding partners concluded their two-year commitment to advance smart and science-based policy and practice on onsite non-potable reuse. The administrative management of the Commission has transitioned to WateReuse, with the SFPUC continuing to serve as the Commission’s Chair. Updates will be provided as the Commission charts is course for 2020 and beyond.
State Updates and Member Profiles
California: San Bernardino Offers Financial Incentives for Recycled Water, Stormwater Capture
A new program is being offered by the San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water District (SBVMWD) providing a financial incentive to local water agencies for projects that produce recycled water or capture stormwater. The Local Resource Investment Program provides a financial incentive for twenty years to any agency in SBVMWD’s service area. The East Valley Water District’s Sterling Natural Resource Center recycled 11,000 acre-feet of water, for example. They will receive $173 for every acre-foot of recycled water provided to the region, or approximately $2 million per year for twenty years. Read More.
Florida: Tampa Considers New Potable Reuse Project
WateReuse Association member the City of Tampa will present a plan to the City Council later this month for a new potable reuse program. Tampa currently reclaims about three million gallons of water each day for lawn irrigation in South Tampa. A planned expansion of the irrigation program was rejected in 2009 due to an estimated $1.3 billion cost to expand the purple pipe network. The proposed potable reuse project would make use of the 55 million gallons a day of treated effluent pumped into Tampa Bay. Read More.
New Laws Could Expand Recycling of Produced Water in Permian Basin
New laws in New Mexico and Texas make it clear who is responsible for wastewater produced by oil and gas companies and encourage companies to reuse it or sell it to water management companies for recycling. Passed into law this spring, New Mexico House Bill 546 and Texas House Bill 3246 determined that oil and gas operators own the produced water and they could sell it to recyclers, who then take over legal responsibility for the brine. The New Mexico law went into effect on July 1 while Texas law goes into effect on September 1. At least a dozen water recycling companies operate in the Permian Basin. Read More.
Members Recognized as Forward-Thinking Utilities of the Future
WateReuse Update
How Can You Offer Recognition to Recycled Water Customers? Participate in the Recycled Water User Network
Are you interested in recognizing recycled water customers as community water stewards or offering an incentive for new customers to come onboard? Participate in the Recycled Water User Network, a members-only network for businesses, governments, and not-for-profit organizations that use recycled water, including customers of water utilities and organizations that recycle water onsite. The network gives businesses, governments and nonprofits that use recycled water the opportunity to receive a green designation, Water StarTM, and access to information and resources on recycled water. Learn More.
Conferences and Events
Podcast: WateReuse Board Member Offers Global Perspective on Water Reuse
Why is water reuse more successful in some countries than others? WateReuse Association Board Member Jon Freedman, global government affairs leader at Suez, offers his perspective in the latest edition of the Brave Blue World podcast. With Indian city Chennai and others on the brink of a ‘Day Zero’ drought situation, could cleaning up and reusing water be the answer? Tune in to hear Freedman’s perspectives on the obstacles to more widespread water reuse across the world.
Upcoming Events
11 am PT | 2 pm ET (1 hour)
This webcast is free of charge.
PDHs: 1
This webcast, co-hosted by the U.S. EPA, will present the key outcomes of an expert workshop that sought to understand how the permitting process can better support innovative water resource management solutions, such as water reuse. The webcast will detail five characteristics to support a permitting process that is not a painful hurdle, but rather an opportunity for mutual creativity between regulators, regulated entities, and the engaged public. Webcast participants will learn about how this framework can be applied to their unique circumstances, work being done by EPA and partners, and how innovation can be better facilitated through permitting.
Speakers:
- Justin Mattingly, Water Reuse Program, U.S. EPA
- Michael Kiparsky, University of California, Berkley
- Dave Smith, Water Innovation Services
- Felicia Marcus, Stanford University
Add to Calendar
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 meeting will be on August 13th at Hyperion Treatment Plant in Playa Del Rey.
Please RSVP by Friday, August 2nd by filling out the form at this link: https://forms.office.com/r/tkAibX4HnB.
Joint Meeting with Northern California chapter, time and location TBD.
The meeting will be May 17 at Mitchell Park Community Center 3700 Middlefield Rd, Palo Alto. The topic is Commissioning, Operations and Compliance perspectives and we will have presentations from:
- Steven Garner, Director of Certification for AWWA Cal-Nevada will be presenting what it takes to get an AWTO Certification for purified systems
- Vincent Gruffat and Brandon Jacka, Engineer and Operations Managers for Natural Systems Utilities (NSU) will be presenting the perspectives from operating Onsite non potable water systems
- Derrick Mansell, Operations Manager of Orange County Water District will be presenting the challenges and lessons learned from operating the world’s largest IPR system