Washington Update
WateReuse Association Urges Investment in Water Recycling Projects in COVID-19 Stimulus Package
EPA Urges States to Identify Water and Wastewater Workers as Essential Workers in COVID-19 Response
On Friday, March 27, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Andrew Wheeler sent a letter to governors in all 50 states, territories, and Washington, DC requesting that water and wastewater workers be considered essential workers by state authorities when enacting restrictions to curb the spread of COVID-19. The request extends to manufacturers and suppliers who provide vital services and materials to the water sector. Administrator Wheeler’s letter notes that our critical water infrastructure and its operators ensure the safe supply of water to our homes and hospitals, and depend on treatment chemicals, laboratory supplies and related goods and materials.
Federal Agencies Provide Guidance on Water and COVID-19
Federal agencies, including the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are providing guidance to water professionals and the public on water transmission and COVID-19. There is no evidence that the COVID-19 virus survives the disinfection process for drinking water, wastewater, and recycled water, according to the CDC. No COVID-19–specific protections, beyond routine practices to prevent exposure to wastewater, are recommended for employees involved in wastewater management operations. Some WateReuse members, including the Dublin San Ramon Services District and El Dorado Irrigation District in California, are including information about the safety of recycled water in their COVID-19 messaging.
State Updates and Member Profiles
Welcome New Member!
The WateReuse Association welcomes the following new member:
- Clackamas County (OR)
Arizona: Tucson’s Recycled Water Recharge Facility Will Double as Desert Park
WateReuse Association member Tucson Water is developing an $8 million recycled water recharge project that will double as a desert park. When the South Houghton Area Recharge Project opens this fall, Tucson Water plans to start recharging 4,000 acre-feet of reclaimed water there annually into three basins. The 40-acre site will be landscaped with a mesquite bosque and 1,500 other desert plants. Read More.
Virginia: Virginia WaterHub® Celebrates 100 Million Gallons of Recycled Water Used
The Virginia WaterHub®, which recycles water onsite at an industrial campus in Richmond, celebrated 100 million gallons of recycled water use for World Water Day. Developed by WateReuse Association member Sustainable Water and H2O Innovation, the facility treats nearly 500,000 gallons of water per day for cooling towers using a membrane bioreactor and reverse osmosis technology. The project began operating nine months ago. Read more.
WateReuse Update
New Policy and Program Manager, Aliza Furneaux, Joins WateReuse Team
Aliza Furneaux joined the WateReuse Association staff on March 23 as the new Policy and Program Manager. Aliza comes to us from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency where she served as an ORISE Research Fellow supporting the development of the National Water Reuse Action Plan (WRAP). In her new role on the WateReuse staff, she will support the implementation of WateReuse-led WRAP actions and assist in developing new programming and educational content for members. Aliza earned a B.S. in civil and environmental engineering at Lafayette College and her master’s in environmental engineering at University of Illinois-Urbana Champaign. As a graduate research assistant, her research focused on phosphorous management from water resource recovery facilities under Dr. Roland Cusick. She looks forward to supporting the WateReuse Association and its members in her new role. Aliza can be reached via email at afurneaux@watereuse.org and you may connect with her on LinkedIn.
WateReuse Communications Tools and Resources
Engaging the Public Health Community on Water Reuse? Check out Our Online Resources
Although water reuse is a proven, science-based process that has been used safely in communities around the world for decades, the public is often skeptical when the concept is first introduced into a community. To build acceptance among medical and health professionals, WateReuse has launched the Medical Community Initiative and begun developing resources to support members in engaging with the public health community. Visit our website for videos, articles, and presentations that support engagement with medical professionals. New tools are being developed so check back for updates.
Conferences and Events
ICYMI: Effective PFAS Treatment: Challenges and Solutions for Potable Reuse
Eva Steinle-Darling, Vice President and Reuse Innovation Lead with Carollo Engineers, presented the latest research on effective PFAS treatment for potable reuse during a March 25 webcast. She shared her expertise in navigating the ever-evolving regulatory landscape and potential treatment options for advanced water treatment facilities with and without reverse osmosis. Eva provided additional insight through an extensive Q & A session. A recording of the webcast is available to members. Watch Now!
Webcast: Breaking Down Implementation Barriers for Onsite Non-Potable Water Systems
What are the key components of a successful onsite non-potable water system? Join us April 15 at 2 pm to learn about a Water Research Foundation guidance manual and interactive training modules to tackle critical knowledge gaps businesses and utilities. The presentation will cover treatment goals, effective design, strategies for effective operation and monitoring, and regulatory and permitting frameworks. Register Now!
Upcoming Events
Register Now!
Join Us!
2:00 – 4:00 pm ET| 11:00 am – 1:00 pm PT
Fee: Complimentary
Join a group of stormwater management leaders from around the US to discuss stormwater capture motivations and drivers, barriers to progress, and future directions. This group will touch on questions like- Why are communities pursuing stormwater capture for use now? How do community interests in stormwater harvesting vary across the country? What factors get in the way of progress? Where do we want to be with stormwater capture in 20 years? The audience will learn about the different motivators, unique strategies, and opportunities to market and advance stormwater capture across the U.S.
Presenters
- Randy Bartlett, Fairfax County VA
- Sharlene Leurig, Texas Water Trade/Austin Water Forward
- Mark Doneux, St. Paul, MN Capitol Region Watershed District
- James Moore, Georgia Association of Water Professionals
- Enrique Zaldivar, City of Los Angeles
- Lynn Broaddus, Water Environment Federation
- Drew Wenzel, Google
This webinar will be the first of a series of four webinars as part of the National Water Reuse Action Plan, Action 2.3.3. Co-sponsors include the WateReuse Association, U.S. EPA, National Association of Municipal Stormwater Agencies (NMSA), Re-Inventing the Nation’s Urban Water Infrastructure (ReNUWIt), Water Environment Federation, and Johnson Foundation at Wingspread (JFW).
Save the Date
Join us for the second webinar in this series.
Developing Stormwater Treatment Standards – Where’s the Action?
February 23, 2021
2:00 – 4:00 pm ET
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Join Us!
9:00 am – 10:00 am Pacific | 12:00 – 1:00 pm Eastern
WateReuse Members: Free
Others: $49
PDHs: 1
Wastewater-based epidemiology was utilized to detect SARS-Cov-19 in the wastewater of student dorms upon re-entry of University of Arizona students in the fall semester of 2020. Positive wastewater samples allowed for subsequent targeted clinical testing of dorm students and the identification of both symptomatic and asymptomatic Covid-19 infections. Early detection of infected individuals resulted in reduced exponential spread of Covid-19 and allowed the university to remain open throughout the semester.
Presenter
Ian Pepper, Director, WEST Center & Professor, Environmental Science
Dr. Pepper is an environmental microbiologist whose research has focused on the fate and transport of pathogens in air, water, soils and municipal wastes. More recently, he has investigated the potential for real-time detection of contaminants in water distribution systems. Dr. Pepper is Professor in the Community, Environment, and Policy Department in the UA College of Public Health, as well as Professor in the Department of Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering. In addition to his duties at the WEST Center, he is director of the National Science Foundation Water Quality Center at the UA.
He also teaches a graduate level laboratory class on Environmental Microbiology, and an undergraduate class on Pollution Science. He has co-authored numerous books and journal articles on Environmental Microbiology and Pollution Science, and is a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the American Academy of Microbiology, the American Society of Agronomy, and the Soil Science Society of America.
He received his Ph.D. in Soil Microbiology from The Ohio State University, M.S. in Soil Biochemistry from Ohio State, and B.S. in Chemistry from the University of Birmingham, Great Britain.
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Join Us!
2:00 – 3:00 pm ET| 11:00 am – 12:00 pm PT
WateReuse Members: Free
Others: $49
As more communities face water quantity challenges, water reuse is a viable option to expand drinking water sources. Although all water is recycled as it moves through the environment, the practice of treating wastewater to be used for potable water is sometimes met with skepticism. Some of this stems from the “toilet to tap” campaigns that may have led to more rejection of water reuse than acceptance.
Quantitative microbial risk assessment (QMRA) is a framework that evaluates the many factors impacting water reuse practices and management, as well as those influencing community perception. With the emergence of new pathogens, such as SARS-CoV-2, the acceptance of water recycling as part of a community’s drinking water sustainability plan may be even more challenging. This webcast will describe how QMRA may be used to communicate with stakeholders – including healthcare providers – the human health safeguards associated with water reuse implementation.
Presenters
- Karla Mendez, PhD Candidate, UTHealth Houston School of Public Health, El Paso campus
- Kristina Mena, MSPH, PhD, Regional Dean and Associate Professor, UTHealth Houston School of Public Health, El Paso campus
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First Quarter:
Remote – Zoom
Friday, March 12, 2021
11:00 am to 2pm EST // 10 to 1 CST // 9:00 to 12 MST // 8:00 to 11 PST
36th Annual WateReuse Symposium: Redefining Resiliency
March 15-25, 2021
Join us for a series of live and on demand virtual roundtables!
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Second Quarter:
Remote – Zoom
Friday, June 4, 2021
11:00 am to 2pm EST // 10 to 1 CST // 9:00 to 12 MST // 8:00 to 11 PST
Third Quarter:
Los Angeles, J.W. Marriott L.A. LIVE
Friday, Sept 17, 2021
11:00 am to 2pm EST // 10 to 1 CST // 9:00 to 12 MST // 8:00 to 11 PST