Home\News\WateReuse Review\WateReuse Review – July 15, 2019

Pitching Reuse to Your Customers? Register for the 34th Annual WateReuse Symposium Today to Learn Winning Strategies to Communicate a Reuse Message!

How do you get ratepayers and industry to embrace recycled water investments? Join us for “Making the Pitch: How to Talk to Elected Officials and Potential Industry Customers about the Value of Water Recycling” during the opening general session of the 34th Annual WateReuse Symposium taking place September 8-11 in San Diego. Elected officials will join representatives from utilities and public health for an insightful panel discussion that includes real world examples of successful communication strategies and messages that convince business leaders, ratepayers, and elected officials to support investments in water recycling. Register today to learn from this panel and participate in a comprehensive four-day program covering water recycling policy, technology, research, and public support. The program showcases collaborations among utilities, businesses, and industry; regulators working together at both the state and federal level; sustainability; and public/private partnerships. Register before August 23 and save on registration rates

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Washington Update

WateReuse Association to Testify at Senate Hearing

On Thursday, July 18, the Water and Power Subcommittee of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee will hold a hearing to examine a number of bills, including S. 1932, the Drought Resiliency and Water Supply Infrastructure Act. The WateReuse Association worked closely with the lead cosponsors to draft and build support for S. 1932, which includes a 5-year, $100 million reauthorization of the Bureau of Reclamation’s Title XVI Water Reclamation and Reuse competitive grant program. For the hearing, the WateReuse Association will be represented by Association member, Aurora Water from Aurora, CO in support of the legislation. Marshall Brown, General Manager of Aurora Water, will be testifying on our behalf. You can view the full hearing on the Committee’s website on July 18.

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EPA Issues Update on the National Water Reuse Action Plan

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently issued an update on the development of a national Water Reuse Action Plan, noting that it is on track to release a draft plan at the 34th Annual WateReuse Symposium in September. The goal of the Water Reuse Action Plan (WRAP), announced by EPA Assistant Administrator Dave Ross in February 2019, is to serve as a catalyst for sustained national emphasis to enhance the consideration of water reuse as a tool in integrated water resources management, often led at the state and local watershed scale. EPA is collaborating closely with state partners that manage water reuse programs and water infrastructure funding programs.

The WateReuse Association facilitated a multi-month collaborative process to develop and submit recommendations on the WRAP jointly with the American Water Works Association, Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies, National Association of Clean Water Agencies, Water Environment Federation, and Water Research Foundation. The water sector comments were informed by a member survey and national convenings of experts and stakeholders from around the country. EPA will consider the WateReuse recommendations and public submissions to the docket from 53 commenters, as well as its own research and outreach in developing the draft WRAP. The public docket on development of the draft WRAP closed on July 1.

EPA has developed a “concept draft” based on an annotated outline with approximately 10 strategic objectives, including improved policies, technology development, and workforce development. By the end of July, EPA plans to begin circulating a complete full draft of about 30 pages for internal review. Once the draft WRAP is released to the public at the Annual WateReuse Symposium, EPA anticipates a 90-day formal comment period, coupled with another round of “opportunistic outreach.”

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Congress Passes PFAS Provisions that Impact Water Recycling Facilities

Last week, the House of Representatives passed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2020 (H.R. 2500), and included in it a number of amendments related to the regulation of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). This includes language requiring the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to list PFAS chemicals as hazardous substances under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) within one year. Another provision requires EPA to add PFAS to the list of toxic pollutants under the Clean Water Act, and to publish associated effluent and pretreatment standards. The Senate included its own set of PFAS amendments in its recently passed version of the NDAA. The next step will be for the House and Senate to form a conference committee to negotiate the differences between the two bills.

State Updates and Member Profiles

Welcome New Members!

The WateReuse Association welcomes the following new members:

California: Legislation on Potable Reuse Terminology Moves Forward

AB 292, a WateReuse California sponsored measure that removes the potable reuse terms “indirect” and “direct” from state statute, passed out of its final Senate policy committee last week. Introduced by Assemblyman Bill Quirk, D-Hayward, the measure allows agencies to communicate more clearly with the public and use the potable reuse nomenclature established in AB 574 (Quirk 2017), which includes Groundwater Augmentation, Reservoir Augmentation, Raw Water Augmentation and Treated Drinking Water Augmentation. AB 292 is supported by agencies throughout the state and will next be heard in the California Senate Appropriations Committee.

WateReuse California also sponsored AB 1180, which was introduced by Assemblymember Laura Friedman (D-Glendale). The bill requires the state Water Board to update the non-potable recycled water regulations by 2023. These regulations have not been updated in 19 years. AB 1180, which also enjoys broad support, is currently before in the Senate Appropriations Committee.

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California: Reclamation Seeks Comment on Proposed Changes for the Central Valley and State Water Projects

The Bureau of Reclamation released a draft environmental impact statement analyzing potential effects associated with long-term water operations for the Central Valley Project (CVP) and State Water Project (SWP). Reclamation’s goal is to incorporate updated science into CVP and SWP operations to optimize water deliveries for communities and farms, while protecting threatened and endangered species. The draft environmental impact statement will be available for public input for a 45-day review period and three public meetings are scheduled. Read More.

California: Interim Funding Agreement Approved for Water Purification Project

The East County Advanced Water Purification Program progressed closer to completion last week with the program’s partner agencies – Padre Dam Municipal Water District, the City of El Cajon, Helix Water District and the County of San Diego – approving an Interim Funding Agreement. Each entity will commit $2.35 million to towards the program in 2020. By 2025, the $528 million program is expected to begin producing 11.5 million gallons of drinking water per day in East San Diego County. Read More.

California: City of Ukiah Ready to Deliver Recycled Water to Vineyards

WateReuse Association member the City of Ukiah recently began filling storage ponds to prepare for its new program to provide recycled water for vineyards, cornfields, and other irrigation. The three ponds will be filled with 66 million gallons of water that has passed through the Ukiah Valley Wastewater Treatment Plant. The city will begin releasing the water once it has final approval from the Division of Drinking Water. Read more.

Conferences and Events

Become a Sponsor of the 34th Annual WateReuse Symposium

There are still sponsorship opportunities available for the 34th Annual WateReuse Symposium in San Diego on September 8-11. The Annual WateReuse Symposium is the premier conference on water recycling, attracting more than 600 water recycling professionals from around the country. Sponsorship increases your brand recognition among reuse project sponsors and demonstrates your support for WateReuse programs and initiatives. View our Sponsorship Prospectus and secure your recognition at the 34^th Annual WateReuse Symposium.

Webcast: Integrating Management of Sensor Data for a Real Time Decision Making and Response System

Join us on July 24 at 2 p.m. ET to learn about a new Water Research Foundation project that developed a Decision Support Tool to help utility operators and managers take appropriate real-time actions based on anomalies and events when operating potable reuse systems. The Decision Support Tool aggregates information on online sensor technologies into an easy to use dashboard for operators. Learn how utilities can benefit from this approach in operating potable reuse systems, as well as with many drinking water, water reclamation, or recycled water facilities or systems. Register Now.

Upcoming Events

Apr

Wed

WateReuse Pacific Northwest Meeting

Tickets

Apr 15 all-day

Categories: WateReuse Pacific Northwest

Webcast: Breaking Down Implementation Barriers for Onsite Non-Potable Water Systems

Tickets

Apr 15 @ 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm

Presented in partnership with The Water Research Foundation, this presentation will cover key components of successful onsite non-potable water systems.

Webcast
2:00 – 3:00 pm Eastern ; 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Pacific
WateReuse Members and WRF Subscribers: Free
Others: $49
PDHs: 1

Register Now!

Across the nation, onsite non-potable water systems (ONWS) are becoming increasingly common as a means to conserve and recycle water. Ensuring consistent implementation is one of the principal challenges for ONWS programs, particularly when multiple, new stakeholders are involved. Water Research Foundation project 4909 sought to identify key knowledge gaps and provide the resources needed to aid in the smooth implementation of ONWS. Through interaction with the National Blue Ribbon Commission for Onsite Non-potable Water Systems, the project team identified common pitfalls that have impacted the design, operation, permitting, and implementation of ONWS.

This presentation will cover key components of a successful ONWS program including: (1) treatment goals that control public health risk, (2) effective design of both treatment and non-treatment (i.e., management) barriers, (3) strategies for effective operation and monitoring of ONWS systems, and (4) frameworks for regulating and permitting ONWS. The goal of this presentation is to convey the importance of stakeholder knowledge for consistent protection of public health at ONWS installations. This information will be presented through a survey of the projects two main deliverables: the comprehensive guidance manual and interactive training modules.

Presenters

Brian Pecson, Ph.D., P.E., Principal Engineer, Trussell Technologies
Brie Post, P.E., Senior Engineer, Trussell Technologies
Paula Kehoe, Director of Water Resources, San Francisco Public Utilities Commission

Categories: Featured Webcasts

Apr

Tue

Webcast: America’s Water Infrastructure Act – Implications for Water Reuse and COVID-19

Tickets

Apr 21 @ 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm

Are water recycling utilities well prepared to address the COVID-19 crisis and other potential future risks?

Join Us!
2:00 – 3:00 pm Eastern ; 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Pacific
WateReuse Members: Free
Others: $49
PDHs: 1

Register Now!

The America’s Water Infrastructure Act (AWIA) requires all utilities serving 3,300 or more people to complete a risk and resilience assessment (RRA) for their water systems, followed by the completion of an emergency response plan (ERP). The RRA’s are part of an overall effort to improve the ability of water systems to prepare for and respond to events from water resource limitations to cyber attacks, from extreme weather to an assault on the utility, and from contamination to treatment and distribution infrastructure, among others. In short, it is an all-hazards approach to managing risk.

This webcast will discuss how water reuse interacts with the RRAs and highlight some the ways that risks are viewed and managed from an AWIA perspective. It will also discuss how we are interpreting and acting upon risk in the midst the COVID-19 pandemic crisis and how we can use RRAs to prepare for future risks. This webcast will offer a fresh look at risk and resilience through the lens of preparation and response. The presentation will begin with an overview of AWIA requirements, RRAs, and the role of water reuse in those assessments followed by a focus on risk and risk perceptions in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Presenters

Dr. Ben Stanford is an Associate Vice President with Hazen and Sawyer in the Denver office where he leads the implementation of innovations in water, wastewater, and water reuse. He is currently leading or supporting over a dozen risk and resilience projects in FL, NC, TX, CO, AZ, and CA.

Dr. Douglas Crawford-Brown is Professor Emeritus at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he was Founding Director of the Institute for the Environment, and at the University of Cambridge, where he was Director of the Cambridge Centre for Climate Change Mitigation Research.