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March 12, 2019

Washington Update

Administration Proposes Cuts to Water Reuse Funding

This week, the Administration released its FY 2020 budget request to Congress, proposing a steep cut to the Title XVI water recycling grant program funding of nearly $60 million. The WateReuse Association will work with Congress to defeat the proposed budget cuts and to ensure that Title XVI funding is instead increased substantially. In addition to proposing a deep cut to Title XVI, the President’s request slashes the overall budget for the Environmental Protection Agency by 31 percent, or $2.8 billion. For a more detailed breakdown of the budget request, see below.

	FY18 Omnibus	FY19 Enacted	FY20 Budget Request
Title XVI	$54,406,000	$58,617,000	$3,000,000
CWSRF	$1,693,887,000	$1,694,000,000	$1,120,000,000
DWSRF	$1,163,233,000	$1,164,000,000	$863,000,000
WIFIA	$63,000,000	$68,000,000	$25,000,000
USDA RD Water and Waste	$1,060,263,000	$2,023,690,000	$1,700,000,000
USDA conservation programs	No cuts	No cuts	Eliminates and cuts conservation programs
Drinking Water Infrastructure Resilience and Sustainability	N/A	N/A	$2,000,000

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House Bill Reauthorizes EPA Water Recycling Program, Clean Water SRF

On March 5, House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Peter DeFazio (D-OR), House Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment Chairwoman Grace Napolitano (D-CA), and Representatives Don Young (R-AK) and John Katko (R-NY) introduced the Water Quality Protection and Job Creation Act of 2019 (HR 1497). The bill reauthorizes the Program for Alternative Water Source Projects at $75 million per year for five years. Under the program, EPA would be able to fund projects aimed at meeting critical water supply needs by conserving, managing, reclaiming, or reusing water, wastewater, or stormwater, or by treating wastewater or stormwater. The same bill reauthorizes the Clean Water State Revolving Fund at $4 billion per year, State Management Assistance at $300 million per year, Watershed Pilot Projects at $120 million per year, and includes a four-year extension of the combined sewer and sanitary sewer overflow and stormwater recapture and reuse grant authority. WateReuse will work closely with congressional champions to get this bill through the House, and to introduce and pass companion legislation in the Senate.

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Join Us in Washington, DC for the National Water Policy Fly-In, Register Today

Register for the National Water Policy Fly-In, April 3-4, in Washington, DC. The National Water Policy Fly-In is the anchor event of Water Week 2019 and brings together the nation’s water sector to speak with one voice to Congress and the Administration. The agenda includes a plenary session on U.S. EPA Water Priorities and federal agency roundtables at the Hyatt Regency Washington, as well as congressional office visits. With a new Congress in place, your attendance and engagement are more critical than ever. WateReuse urges members to join us in Washington DC to ensure that the water reuse message is an integral part of the Water Week message.

Building upon the momentum of major advocacy wins in 2018— including the bipartisan passage of the America’s Water Infrastructure Act that incorporated key provisions beneficial to water recycling —and the significant potential for congressional focus on infrastructure during the next session, it is crucial that policymakers hear directly from you about the specific challenges to your utility and community. Now is the time to redouble our efforts to press for the water sector’s main priorities, and educate policymakers even more about the benefits of water reuse.

Water Week 2019 will communicate the direct value of water for economic development, job creation, public health and a sustainable environment. Make your plans to participate in this special week, and join us as we elevate water as a powerful national priority!

Contact WateReuse Policy Director Greg Fogel with questions about Water Week and the National Water Policy Fly-In.

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Advocacy Action Needed! Ask Your Member of Congress to Support Investments in Water Reuse

Each year, congressional appropriators decide how much federal funding our priority programs will receive. And each year, they look to their constituents for guidance on what those funding levels should be. The Energy & Water and Interior-Environment Appropriations Subcommittees have set FY 2020 appropriations request deadlines of April 1 in the House, and will soon set their deadlines in the Senate. Individual congressional offices have also set advance deadlines, many of which are rapidly approaching.

Now is the time to reach out to your Member of Congress to ask them to support investments in water reuse through the federal appropriations process!

WateReuse is asking members to contact your Member of Congress to make one or more of the “asks” listed below. When you call, ask for the staffer who handles water issues and tell them that you are calling about FY 2020 appropriations. If the front office transfers you to that staffer’s voicemail (which is common!), leave a message:

Title XVI-WIIN Water Reuse and Recycling Competitive Grant Program: $100 million
Title XVI-WIIN Desalination Program: $20 million
Sections 2005 (Drinking Water Infrastructure Resilience and Sustainability Program), 2007 (Innovative Water Technology Grant Program), and 2013 (Community Water System Risk and Resilience Program) of America’s Water Infrastructure Act of 2018: $4 million for SEC. 2005; $10 million for SEC. 2007; $25 million for SEC. 2013
Clean Water State Revolving Fund: $3.388 billion
Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Program: $70 million
Drinking Water State Revolving Fund: $1.3 billion
National Priorities Water Research Grant Program: $20 million
Innovative Water Technologies Grant Program: $10 million

To take action, call the Capitol switchboard at (202) 224-3121. Ask for your Representative or Senator, and once they connect you to the office, ask for the staffer who handles water. Let them know who you are and where your entity operates, and then make your ask!

If you want to talk or prep with us first, please call Greg Fogel, WRA’s Policy Director, at 571-445-5506.

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Congressional Hearing Discusses Funding for Water Infrastructure, Including Reuse

On Thursday, March 7, the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee’s Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment held a hearing on federal water infrastructure investment, entitled “The Clean Water State Revolving Fund: How Federal Infrastructure Investment Can Help Communities Modernize Water Infrastructure and Address Affordability Challenges.”

During the hearing, Subcommittee Chairwoman Napolitano and Committee Chairman DeFazio discussed their recently introduced bill, the Water Quality Protection and Job Creation Act of 2019 (see above), and pointed to the importance of reauthorizing the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) Program.

In addition to highlighting the CWSRF, Napolitano, DeFazio, and Subcommittee Ranking Member Bruce Westerman (R-AR) each talked about the importance of integrated planning and discussed the Environmental Protection Agency’s role in moving integrated planning forward. Earlier this year, the President signed the Water Infrastructure Improvement Act (H.R. 7279) into law, directing EPA to support and promote integrated water management planning across the country.

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State Updates and Member Spotlight

California: Commentary Explains Why Reuse Makes More Sense than Importing Water

A commentary published last week by Robert Glennon, a university professor and author, praises the work that California is doing in increasing the amount of water it reuses and reducing its reliance on imported water. Southern California traditionally imports water from the Sierra Nevada, the Colorado River or elsewhere to augment what is available locally, which can be expensive and face environmental objections. Glennon argues that the recent announcement from Los Angeles that it has set an aspirational goal to recycle all of its wastewater by 2035 demonstrates California is discovering that wastewater has incredible value. Read More.

California: Olivenhain Converts HOA to Recycled Water

WateReuse Association member Olivenhain Municipal Water District (OMWD) is providing recycled water to the Del Rayo Downs Homeowner Association (HOA) in Rancho Santa Fe. OMWD is working with large irrigators on the benefits of retrofitting their irrigation systems for recycled water use including schools, homeowner associations and golf courses. Del Ray Downs’ conversion to recycled water enables the HOA to save money on its monthly water bill while decreasing costly imported water demands by approximately 16.5 acre-feet annually. Read More.

Oklahoma: Bartlesville Moves Forward with First Water Reuse Project

WateReuse Association member Tetra Tech has been contracted to begin designing the first water reuse project for City of Bartlesville, including a water reuse pump station, pipeline, and renovation of the water intake structure located on the Caney River. The design work will be completed by February 2020. In 2001, the area experienced a sustained drought where there were only six months of water remaining in Hulah Lake, which triggered a number of studies. The community currently pumps 7 million gallons of treated effluent into the Carney River. Under the proposal, half of the effluent would be diverted for reuse. Read More.

Virginia: Hampton Roads Aquifer Recharge Project Gets Stricter Oversight

Governor Ralph Northam signed legislation that establishes the Potomac Aquifer Recharge Oversight Committee to monitor Hampton Roads Sanitation District’s (HRSD) plan to refill the Potomac Aquifer with purified water. The 10-person advisory committee is required to meet at least quarterly during its first three years of existence, and HRSD would fund the committee during that time. The legislation also creates the Potomac Aquifer Recharge Monitoring Laboratory under the direction of faculty from two Virginia universities. The lab will monitor the project’s effect on the aquifer, manage test data, and conduct testing and analysis of the water. HRSD plans to build the program’s first full-scale treatment facility by the end of 2023. Read More.

Research Update

U.S. Faces Fresh Water Shortages Will Create a Driver for Increased Reuse

The pressures of climate change and population growth could cause water shortages in most of the United States, according to preliminary government-backed research. As many as 96 water basins out of the 204 supplying most of the country with freshwater could fail to meet monthly demand starting in 2071, a team of scientists said in the journal Earth’s Future. Water shortages would result from increased demand by a growing population, as well shrinking rainfall totals and greater evaporation caused by global warming. Read More.

Association Update

WateReuse Association Celebrates 2018 Milestones in Annual Report

In 2018, the WateReuse Association expanded membership, increased outreach, and strengthened advocacy to meet a growing interest in water recycling, as illustrated in the 2018 Annual Report. There were notable successes at the national level and within state sections, including popular events and successful engagement with regulators and legislators. The association also engaged in strategic partnerships to extend its reach of education and advocacy priorities. To learn more, read the 2018 Annual Report.

Conferences and Events

Webcast: What are the Best Opportunities for Industrial Water Reuse?

Please join us on March 13 at 2 pm eastern to learn which industries are investing in water reuse and in what ways. Learn about new data from Bluefield Research that will reveal reuse strategies for key industries, drivers for investment in reuse, the best geographic opportunities for industrial reuse, how industries are collaborating with municipalities, and more. Register Now!

Webcast: Advancing the Seawater Desalination Knowledge Base

Please join us on March 14 at 3 p.m. eastern to learn about the latest advancements in seawater desalination via reverse osmosis. Presented in partnership with The Water Research Foundation, this webcast will discuss two recent studies that explore advancements in seawater desalination from pretreatment to integration of desalinated water into water systems. Register Now!

Save the Date: 34th Annual WateReuse Symposium in San Diego, California

Mark your calendar for the 34th Annual WateReuse Symposium is in San Diego, California on September 8-11, 2019. This year’s theme is “Collaborate to Innovate.” We will showcase recycled water collaborations among utilities, farmers, and industry; regulators working together at both the state and federal level; sustainability; public/private partnerships; and, for the first time, the latest in reuse research led by the Water Research Foundation. Learn More.

Upcoming Events

Sep

Thu

Webcast: Membranes 101 – The Basics and Beyond

Tickets

Sep 26 @ 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm

Presented in partnership with WateReuse Pacific Northwest, this webcast will discuss how membranes are used in water, wastewater and reuse applications and review typical operational tasks.

Webcast
2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Eastern; 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Pacific
Fee: Members: Free; Others: $49
PDHs: 1

Register Now!

How are membranes used in water recycling and what are the typical operational tasks? Learn how membranes can be used alone, or in conjunction with complementary technologies, to remove a broad range of contaminants from water. This range of capabilities has contributed to the widespread use of membranes to treat water, wastewater, and recycled water. The presentation will explain the types of membranes and their uses, review proper maintenance, and provide viewers with insight into this popular treatment technology.

Please join us to learn about:

Micro and ultrafiltration membranes, used to remove particles as small as viruses by size exclusion;
Nanofiltration and reverse osmosis membranes, capable of removing dissolved salts and organic compounds; and
Proper maintenance of membranes and membrane systems necessary to maximize system capacity, water quality, and life span.

Presenter

Daniel A. Hugaboom, P.E.
Carollo Engineers

Dan is Carollo Engineer’s Chief MF/UF Membrane Technologist. In this role, he directs technical aspects of the company’s low-pressure membrane filtration based projects. Dan also serves as President of the Northwest Membrane Operator’s Association and serves on the Board of Directors for the American Membrane Technology Association.

Oct

Wed

Webcast: Enhanced Source Control for Direct Potable Reuse

Tickets

Oct 2 @ 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm

Presented in partnership with the National Water Research Institute, this webcast will offer insight into the nature of enhanced source control and discuss how some communities are optimizing their source control programs to support potable reuse.

Webcast
2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Eastern; 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Pacific
Fee: Members: Free; Others: $49
PDHs: 1

Register Now!

What are the best source control strategies when developing a potable reuse project? As more communities turn to potable reuse to expand water supplies, the goals of source control programs have broadened to include producing water that meets drinking water regulations. Join three uniquely qualified experts to gain insight into the nature of enhanced source control and to learn how some communities are optimizing their source control programs to support potable reuse. The presentation will provide valuable guidance for utilities and regulatory agencies considering enhanced source control to protect the quality of wastewater that is entering the treatment system.

Presenters

Linda Shadler is head of the Industrial Waste Section of the Sanitation Districts of Los Angeles County. The Industrial Waste Section manages 950 Significant Industrial Users, making it one of the largest pretreatment programs in the United States.

Ellen McDonald is Chief Technical Officer and Water Planning Practice Leader at Plummer in Fort Worth, Texas, where she works on water resource planning, water reuse, water quality modeling, and water and wastewater system modeling and planning

Tyler Nading works on potable reuse projects and source control investigations, and was a technical advisor and engineering consultant on the Sustainable Water Initiative for Tomorrow at the Hampton Roads Sanitation District in Virginia Beach, Virginia.