Join EPA and Top Federal Agency Water Officials for the National Water Reuse Action Plan Roll-out: Register for the 34th Annual WateReuse Symposium
Washington Update
Aurora Water Testifies on Behalf of WateReuse Association
Eleven WateReuse Members Request WIFIA funding for Water Recycling Projects
In response to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) third Notice of Funding Availability, the agency received 51 letters of interest, collectively requesting $6.6 billion in Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) funding. Letters of interest were received for eleven water recycling projects sponsored by WateReuse Association members. For the first time, EPA announced water reuse and recycling as a WIFIA priority. In the next step, EPA will select the projects that it intends to fund and invite the prospective borrowers to continue to the application process.
Bureau of Reclamation Awards $5.1 Million for Desalination, Water Purification Research
The Bureau of Reclamation announced that 30 projects from 16 states will receive $5.1 million from the Desalination and Water Purification Research Program to develop improved and inexpensive ways to desalinate and treat impaired water. Twenty-five projects will each receive up to $150,000 for laboratory-scale projects, and the remaining five will receive up to $400,000 for larger scale projects to determine the technical and economic viability of a process. Several WateReuse members received grants, including Arizona State University, Orange County Water District, West Basin Municipal Water District, and Colorado School of Mines. Read More.
State Updates and Member Profiles
California: WateReuse California Releases Comprehensive State Action Plan
On Friday, July 19, WateReuse California released the California WateReuse Action Plan – a comprehensive set of proposed actions that will more than double the use of water recycling in California and help prepare the state for the impacts of climate change. The Plan identifies four strategic areas for action: research, regulations, regional planning and funding and includes 20 specific recommendations. Read More.
Colorado: Western Resource Advocates Introduces Water Policy and Program Database
WateReuse Association member Western Resource Advocates launched a new database last week that includes select state water policies and programs from around the country related to water reuse, urban water conservation, and integrated land use and water planning. Users can search for policies and programs by topic, state, and keyword. The database was developed through a Gates Family Foundation grant and additional content will be added over time. Learn More.
New York: Suez Introduces New Water Recycling Technology for Nassau County
WateReuse Association member Suez, operator of Nassau County’s sewer system, unveiled a new water recycling system that will preserve drinking water and save up to 300 million gallons of groundwater every year by using the treated water for plant operations. The $1.1 million project, paid for entirely by Suez, is expected to reduce plant operating expenses by more than $350,000 per year. Suez plans to explore additional uses for Nassau County’s recycled water, including irrigation at the Bay Park and Cedar Creek Park golf courses. Read More.
Texas: Produced Water Recyclers See Increasing Need for Larger-Scale Facilities
As oil and gas producers in the Permian Basin increase the size of their operations, companies that recycle produced water are finding a similar need. Larger-scale recycling infrastructure includes larger fracturing ponds, larger-scale treatment facilities, and pipeline networks to deliver the treated water to drilling and completions sites. Water has been part of the oil patch for many years, but the focus on water management is growing. Read More.
Association Update
WateReuse Executive Director Emphasizes Collaboration with the Federal Agencies
In a new commentary, WateReuse Association Executive Director Patricia Sinicropi makes the case that water sector collaboration with the Federal Government on the development of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s National Water Reuse Action Plan marks a pivotal moment for the water sector. The article, which was published in the Summer issue of NACWA’s Clean Water Advocate, discusses the steps thus far in this unprecedented effort to establish a national imperative for safe, reliable, and locally controlled water supplies. Sinicropi also emphasizes the importance of continued work with Congress and the Trump Administration to align laws, regulations and funding to help states and local governments find local solutions. Read more.
Conferences and Events
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 research identified available online sensor technologies that have potential for direct potable reuse (DPR) and conducted risk analysis to determine the necessary sensor platforms and sensitivity required to ensure compliance, safety and identify process anomalies. 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
WateReuse Pacific Northwest State Workshop Series
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11:00 am – 1:30 pm PT | 2:00 pm – 4:30 pm ET
Fee: Free
This webinar is hosted jointly by this year’s Water Week Water Association Partners and will provide attendees the opportunity to hear directly from key EPA officials and Members of Congress on the important regulatory and legislative water policies they are working on now and in the years ahead.
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Join us for a lively discussion with leaders from across the water sector about the future of water reuse and its importance as a tool to address the impacts of climate change and meet local water demands.
Please join us for a free webinar on April 29, 2021, from 2:00 to 3:30 PM EDT to celebrate the first year of the National Water Reuse Action Plan (WRAP), including accomplishments of action leaders and partners and anticipated 2021 outcomes.
The Resilience through Collaboration: First Year Highlights and Future Directions of the National Water Reuse Action Plan webcast will feature remarks from Radhika Fox (EPA’s Acting Assistant Administrator for Water), Felicia Marcus (William C. Landreth Visiting Fellow at Stanford University’s Water in the West Program), and a roundtable discussion with WRAP action leaders and partners and other water reuse practitioners from around the United States. This event is hosted by EPA in collaboration with the WateReuse Association and other water sector partners.
The roundtable panelists include:
- Gilbert Trejo, El Paso Water, WateReuse President (moderator)
- Pinar Balci, New York City Department of Environmental Protection
- Mike Markus, Orange County Water District
- Melissa Klembara, U.S. Department of Energy
- Brandi Honeycutt, Colorado Department of Public Health and the Environment
- Paula Kehoe, San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, Chair of the National Blue Ribbon Commission for Onsite Non-potable Water Systems
The WRAP collaborative was launched on February 27, 2020 with federal, state, tribal, local, and private sector partners to build technical, financial, and institutional capacity to spur further consideration and implementation of water reuse across the country. The story of the WRAP’s first year of implementation is one of incredible dedication and determination by a growing community of over 100 different organizations. The WRAP collaborative has enabled the formation of new action-based partnerships across the water community to help address local water resource challenges through holistic thinking and integrated efforts to ultimately strengthen our Nation’s water security, sustainability, and resilience.
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Join May Wu, Principal Environmental System Scientist with Argonne National Laboratory, for a webcast on the role of water reuse in bioenergy production.
11:00 am – 12:00 pm PT | 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm ET
WateReuse Members: Free | Others: $49
Production of bioenergy from a range of feedstocks and biorefining pathways requires a substantial amount of water for irrigation, conversion process, cooling, and steam generation. Because the feedstock varies with climate and soil regions, an increased production will have implications in the availability of regional and local freshwater resources across the U.S. It is critical to understand how fit-for-purpose water recycling can be used to conserve freshwater.
This webcast presents findings from an Argonne National laboratory analyses of potential recycled water use to produce biofuels from conventional crops and algae and generate power by incorporating technology, climate, and geospatial-temporal components. Findings suggest a significant potential of producing advanced biofuel while doubling the amount of recycled water in use nationally. Results from this project support informed decision-making and strategic planning for water sustainable bioenergy development.
Presenter
May Wu is a principal environmental system scientist at Argonne National Laboratory. Her research interests are water resource use, water quality, and wastewater management in the production of biofuels and conventional energy.
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WateReuse Pacific Northwest State Workshop Series
WateReuse Pacific Northwest State Workshop Series
WateReuse Pacific Northwest State Workshop Series
Save the date! More information to come soon.
Learn how digital platforms that include artificial intelligence and machine learning can be used to improve asset management strategies and operational efficiencies.
11:00 am – 12:00 pm PT | 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm ET
WateReuse Members: Free
Others: $49
PDHs: 1
In this webcast, our presenters will introduce how digital platforms that include artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) can be used to improve asset management strategies and operational efficiencies, as well as enhance source control, validate unit process performance, predict product water quality and make sound decisions for assessing suitability of product water for human consumption.
The data collected from pilot and full-scale potable reuse treatment trains have been used to develop artificial neuron networks as part of an ML platform. The platform clearly demonstrates that ML can be used to predict, for example, the product water total organic carbon (TOC) concentration of a pilot advanced treatment facility and the specific fluxes on the third stage of a full-scale advanced treatment facility as the feed quality and operating conditions are changed.
The methodology used and model outputs will be discussed during the webcast. The presenters will also examine how we can couple AI/ML concepts with the Internet of Things (IoT) and next generation of the SCADA systems to operate and maintain assets efficiently while significantly enhancing public and regulatory confidence in potable reuse projects.
Presenters
- Ufuk Erdal, Arcadis
- Jim Cooper, Arcadis
- Raluca Constantinescu, Arcadis
- Ozan Erdal, University of Washington
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