Home\News\WateReuse Review\WateReuse Review – January 13, 2020

Washington Update

Save the Date: Join Us for Water Week 2020 to Advance Water Recycling

Make plans to join the WateReuse Association in Washington, DC for the National Water Policy Fly-In during Water Week 2020, April 26-May 1. Water Week is the only national policy event of the year that draws together water professionals from across the country to advocate for the unique needs of recycled water, drinking water, and clean water utilities. Water Week is an opportunity to advance policy priorities for water utilities, including greater federal investment in water infrastructure, and a celebration of the role utilities play in communities nationwide. WateReuse encourages our members to participate so that we can ensure that recycled water is an integral part of the Water Week message.

Show less

House Passes PFAS Legislation that Could Impact Water Recycling Facilities

Late last week, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 535, the PFAS Action Act, by a vote of 247-159. Twenty-four Republicans joined 223 Democrats in voting for the bill, which mandates a range of new controls on Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS). One Democrat (Ben McAdams of Utah) opposed the bill. Among its many provisions, the legislation directs the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to designate Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) as hazardous under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA) within one year. There is no exemption from liability for water or wastewater treatment systems in the legislation, meaning that utilities could be held responsible for cleaning up contaminated sites, despite being a receiver, not a producer, of PFAS. The bill also designates all PFAS as hazardous air pollutants and directs EPA to promulgate primary drinking water standards for PFOA and PFOS within two years.

A number of key amendments were considered on the floor, including a failed amendment by Representative Michael Burgess (R-TX) to strike the directive that EPA designate PFOA and PFOS as hazardous under CERCLA. The House passed an amendment offered by Representatives Chris Pappas (D-NH), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), and others, to require EPA to develop effluent standards, pretreatment standards, and water quality criteria for PFAS under the Clean Water Act. This amendment also authorizes $100 million in grant funding per year to publically owned treatment works to implement pretreatment standards.

The Senate is strongly opposed to a number of provisions in H.R. 535, including the provision related to designation of PFOA and PFOS as hazardous under CERCLA, and is not expected to take it up in the near term. Additionally, the White House has issued a Statement of Administration Policy, noting that the President would likely veto the bill if came before him for his signature.

Show less

Reclamation Awards $1.6 Million for Water Reuse Research

The Bureau of Reclamation announced that it has awarded $1.6 million to four WateReuse Association members to fund Title XVI water reclamation and reuse research studies. When non-federal cost-share contributions are included, these studies will accomplish more than $7.6 million in water reuse research. The four projects selected for funding are:

City of San Diego (California): Demonstrating Innovative Control Strategies for Reverse Osmosis Membrane Degradation and Preserving Water Quality in Potable Reuse Application with Optimized Chloramination Strategies;
The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (California): Demonstration of Pathogen Removal through an Alternative Treatment Technology to Treat Non-Nitrified Secondary Effluent for Potable Reuse;
Padre Dam Municipal Water District (California): East County Advanced Water Purification Facilities Preformed Chloramines Research to Ensure California Toxics Rule Compliance; and
City of Norman (Oklahoma): Lake Thunderbird Water Reuse – Field Research Project for Inland Indirect Potable Reuse.

Show less

State Updates and Member Profiles

Welcome New Member!

The WateReuse Association welcomes the following new members:

City of Leesburg (Florida)
Mary Griggs Burke Center for Freshwater Innovation (Wisconsin)

California: WRCA and NWRI Release SOP Guidance Document for Bioassays

WateReuse California (WRCA) and the National Water Research Institute (NWRI) released the first guidance document for developing a standard operating procedure (SOP) for bioanalytical testing for potable reuse. This document is intended to assist potable reuse agencies in complying with the bioassay monitoring requirement that will begin in 2020. In 2018, the State Water Board amended the Recycled Water Policy to include bioassay monitoring requirements for indirect potable reuse. View Guidance Document.

California: West Basin and Suez Renew Water Recycling Partnership

WateReuse Association member West Basin Municipal Water District has renewed its contract with SUEZ North America, also a member, to operate and maintain the Edward C. Little Water Recycling Facility in El Segundo, CA, and its three satellite plants. The five-year renewal, worth a total of $75 million, began January 1 and runs through the end of 2024. The Edward C. Little facility is one of the largest water recycling operations of its kind in the United States, producing about 40 million gallons of water every day. Read More.

Florida: New Legislation Would Provide $500,000 for Potable Reuse Education

Florida House Bill 2547, introduced by Representative Randy Maggard, makes an appropriations request of $500,000 for WateReuse Florida to implement a statewide education program to help educate the public regarding what is potable reuse and how it can help Florida meet future water demands of the public and environment as an alternative water supply. This appropriation request is in addition to the $250,000 that was granted to WateReuse Association member the Southwest Florida Water Management District for the current fiscal year that is being used to develop a message on potable reuse.

Oregon: Clean Water Services Receives Approval to Provide Purified Water to Commercial Brewers

WateReuse Association member Clean Water Services received approval from the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) to provide purified water from its mobile treatment facility to commercial brewers and distilleries to produce alcoholic beverages for sale to the general population. The mobile treatment system—known as the Pure Water Wagon—uses a four step process of ultrafiltration, reverse osmosis, ultraviolet disinfection and advance oxidation to produce high purity drinking water. This decision broadens DEQ’s approval in 2015 to allow home brewers to use this same process in a competition for distribution at trade shows. Read More.

Members Recognized as Influential Women in Water

Water leaders from three WateReuse Association member organizations were presented with the Top 10 Influential Women in Water Award during the inaugural Women of Water Summit, hosted by Mazars USA on Jan 9. Christine Boyle of Xylem, Inc., Nadine Leslie of Suez Water, and Karen Pallansch of Alexandria Renew Enterprises were honored during the ceremony. Pallansch, a WateReuse Association Board member, also joined WateReuse Executive Director Patricia Sinicropi for a panel discussion on water reuse during the summit.

Nadine Leslie of Suez , WateReuse Executive Director Patricia Sinicropi, Karen Pallansch of Alexandria Renew Enterprises, and Jon Freedman of Suez.

WateReuse Customer Communications Tools and Resources

How Can You Offer Recognition to Your 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 Star^TM, and access to information and resources on recycled water. Learn More.

Conferences and Events

Call for Abstracts: 2020 WateReuse Symposium

The WateReuse Association invites technical abstract submissions for the 35th Annual WateReuse Symposium, September 13-16, 2020 in the mile-high city of Denver, Colorado. The Annual WateReuse Symposium is the nation’s premier conference on water recycling – attracting water professionals for several days of knowledge sharing, networking, and fun! The 2020 Symposium is being planned in collaboration with The Water Research Foundation and will include presentations on the latest reuse-related research. Abstracts are due February 18, 2020. Submit an Abstract Now!

Register for the WateReuse California Annual Conference by Friday for the Best Rates

WateReuse California will host its 2020 Annual Conference March 15-17 at the Hyatt Regency San Francisco! Register by Friday, January 17 to take advantage of early bird discounts. The conference includes a comprehensive technical program focused on the design, management, operation, and use of water recycling facilities and projects in California. Register Now!

Upcoming Events

Dec

Fri

2020 4th Quarter Meeting of the Board of Directors

Tickets

Dec 4 @ 11:00 am – 2:00 pm

Categories: Board Meetings

Dec

Tue

Los Angeles Chapter Meeting @ Zoom Video Conference

Tickets

Dec 8 @ 11:00 am – 1:00 pm

Register in advance for this meeting:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZErcOypqjgsHtwmGaUIM0hd5mvgjfwX4pgY

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

Categories: Los Angeles WateReuse California

Dec

Wed

Water Reuse in Palestine: Challenges and Opportunities for Sustainability, Food Security, and Economic Growth

Tickets

Dec 9 @ 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm

Join Dr. A. Rasem Hasan, a professor and researcher at An-Najah National University in Nablus, West Bank, to learn about recent challenges, social and technical, and proposed solutions to increase water recycling in Palestine.

Register Now!

Join Us!
1:00 – 2:00 pm Eastern | 10:00 am – 11:00 am Pacific
WateReuse Members: Free
Others: $49
PDHs: 1

Although a small country with many water resource challenges, Palestine relies on agriculture as a critical component of its economy. About 50 percent of the land is designated agricultural yet only 7 percent is irrigated, creating an opportunity for water reuse to play a key role in water conservation, food security, and economic growth. Join Dr. A. Rasem Hasan, a professor and researcher at An-Najah National University in Nablus, West Bank, to learn about recent challenges, social and technical, and proposed solutions to increase water recycling in Palestine.

Dr. Hasan will present research on how to overcome funding limitations to develop water reuse projects of varying sizes in a semi-arid to arid region. The presentation will discuss rural wastewater management and reuse, industrial wastewater management, brackish water desalination for drinking and irrigation, and climate change adaptation.

Join us for a presentation organized by the WateReuse International Committee that will offer insight into the unique experiences of communities where low funded projects can have significant impact on society.

Moderator

Dr. Zoreh Movahed, WATEK

Presenter

Dr. A. Rasem Hasan is currently the Director of Water and Environmental Studies institute, and faculty member of Civil Engineering Department, at An-Najah National University in Nablus, West Bank, Palestine. He has as a PhD in Civil Engineering from the University of Miami, Florida, USA, MSc in Water Engineering from Birzeit University, Palestine, and B.Sc. in Chemical Engineering from Mutah University, Jordan. Dr. Hasan received several academic awards and has 20+ years of work experience as consultant and academic in the fields of water and environmental engineering. His research interests are water desalination, wastewater treatment and management, water reuse, and hazardous waste management.