Washington Update
Mark Your Calendar for Capitol Hill Visits during Water Week 2020
Continuing Resolution to Maintain Funding for Water Recycling Programs as FY 2020 Negotiations Continue
House and Senate leaders have agreed to pass a second continuing resolution (CR) to keep the Government running until December 20. Congress uses CR’s to extend current federal funding levels when it is unable to reach an agreement on new funding levels for the upcoming fiscal year. The current CR expires on November 21. The House of Representatives will vote on the bill this week, and the Senate is expected to do so shortly thereafter, assuming the bill passes in the House. Under a second CR, Congress would have another month to negotiate funding levels for defense and non-defense spending for the remainder of FY 2020, which began on October 1. For a full breakdown of where funding stands for key water reuse programs, see our previous reports.
WateReuse Continues Work on National Water Reuse Action Plan
On September 10, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency released a draft of its National Water Reuse Action Plan, and began to solicit feedback through a public comment period, which closes on December 16. WateReuse recently held a meeting with our water sector association partners to discuss the Action Plan, its implementation, and opportunities for collaboration moving forward. We continue to work with WateReuse members and our Policy Committee to develop comments ahead of the December 16 deadline. Members may also submit individual comments through the public docket (docket number EPA-HQ-OW-2019-0174).
State Updates and Member Profiles
California: Palo Alto and Valley Water Partner on Recycled Water
WateReuse Association members the City of Palo Alto and Valley Water are moving forward with a regional recycled water deal in which Palo Alto will desalt its wastewater and ship it to Valley Water for reuse throughout Santa Clara County. While Palo Alto currently receives water supplies from the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, the deal will give Palo Alto a backup source of both potable and non-potable water from Valley Water. The terms of the agreement, which is supported by the San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, is set for a city council vote on November 18. Read More.
California: WateReuse California Seeks Nominations for Awards of Excellence
WateReuse California is accepting nominations for the Annual Awards of Excellence, which will be presented during a ceremony at the 2020 California Annual Conference in San Francisco, March 15-17, 2020. The awards recognize agencies, customers, and individuals that have demonstrated exceptional leadership in advancing water recycling in California. Award nominations are due January 10, 2020. Learn More.
Florida: Manatee County Tests Treatment to Improve Reclaimed Water Quality
WateReuse Association members Manatee County Utilities and the Southwest Florida Water Management District are pilot testing a treatment technology aimed at reducing nutrients in reclaimed water. The pilot program will treat 1 million to 1.5 million gallons of the 8 million gallons of reclaimed water a day delivered from Manatee County. The pilot will test biochar filtration to meet Florida’s advanced wastewater treatment standards. Read more.
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 StarTM, and access to information and resources on recycled water. Learn More.
Conferences and Events
Green Building Professionals Learn about Onsite Water Reuse
Incoming WateReuse Association Board of Directors member Paula Kehoe of the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission discussed onsite water reuse at GreenBuilder 2019, a conference hosted by the U.S. Green Building Council. The session focused on the drivers, practicable understanding, and resources for design and monitoring of onsite non-potable water systems and how these projects relate to LEED water efficiency credits. The session also highlighted the work of the National Blue Ribbon Commission for Onsite Non-potable Water Systems, which includes a guidance manual and training materials. Read More.
Closing the Water Loop with NEWater: The Story of Recycled Water in Singapore
Singapore, a small densely populated island nation, has made international headlines with its innovative NEWater, a high quality purified water produced using advanced membranes and ultraviolet technologies. Please join us for a webcast on November 20 at 4:30 pm PST for an in depth presentation on Singapore’s NEWater. Two engineers will join us live from Singapore to discuss R&D efforts and strategies implemented to overcome various operational challenges. Register Now.
Upcoming Events
Launching June 24 -25
Don’t Miss the FIRST EVER WateReuse California virtual conference!
Join us for an easy to navigate, virtual conference experience.This is MORE than just a Replacement Event for the March 2020 Conference, this is an opportunity for our community to stand TOGETHER in these unprecedented times to recognize the good work we do and share ideas for the future. The WateReuse California virtual conference will be available online until July 31, 2020.Join Us!
2:00 – 3:00 pm Eastern | 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Pacific
WateReuse Members: Free
Others: $49
PDHs: 1
Champion Sponsor: CDM Smith
This presentation will give an overview of the COVID-19 research in wastewater that CDM Smith is conducting with multiple clients in the U.S. and Canada. The second half of the presentation will link the findings and learnings from the COVID-19 research to water reuse. For example, an understanding of viral loads, variability among communities and within communities, and online or field qPCR methods are essential to measuring the Sars-CoV-2 virus in wastewater and predicting future reemergence. This detailed, increased monitoring of sewersheds coupled with fast-tracked development of more mobile analytical methods may lead to better monitoring and understanding of wastewaters, as a source for IPR or DPR.
Presenters
- Anna Mehrotra, PhD, PE – Environmental Engineer, CDM Smith
- Greta Zornes, PhD – CDM Smith Practice Leader for Reuse & Industrial Treatment
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Join Us!
11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Pacific | 2:00 – 3:30 pm Eastern
WateReuse Members: Free
Others: $49
PDHs: 1
With many communities facing wastewater discharge limits for nutrients or temperature in Pacific Northwest waterways, reuse offers a water quality compliance strategy that can create wastewater, habitat and watershed benefits. This webcast will showcase two examples of how water reuse is being examined to address nutrient and thermal loading in marine and river water sources.
We will learn how water reuse is being looked at by the Bay Area Clean Water Agencies (BACWA) in the San Francisco Bay area to reduce nutrient loading to the estuary through a coordinated multi-utility assessment. With many parallels to Puget Sound in Washington State, BACWA’s planning can provide some ideas for how reuse might be part of the nutrient reduction plan for Puget Sound and other nutrient impaired waterways.
We will then shift attention to Western Oregon to hear from Clean Water Services in the Portland region. Clean Water Services has a long track-record of investing in innovative solutions to TMDLs. We will learn reuse is being examined to help their utility comply with thermal discharge limits.
Presenters
- Dave Clark, Senior Vice President, Wastewater Market Sector Director, HDR Engineering
- Jared Kinnear, Reuse Manager, Clean Water Services
- Susan Schlangen, Engineer, Water Systems Consulting
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Co-Produced by WateReuse Texas, WEAT and TAWWA, the Water Reuse in Texas Conference is Monday-Tuesday, July 20-21 in Frisco, TX.
Call for Abstracts
The call for abstracts is now open for the 2020 Water Reuse Texas Conference. Submit your abstract by April 10, 2020, to be a part of the reuse conversation in Texas. Abstracts must be one page or less and include the title, author(s), and up to three subject areas within the broad categories of:
- Utility Operations,
- Follow the Money
- Water Reuse Planning
- Water Quality Issues
- Industrial Issues
- Other
All abstract submissions are through the online form at:Â https://forms.gle/abJtrJxJN51f…
Additional detail can be found on the Call for Abstracts Flyer- Coming Soon.
Seeking Nominations for the Ed Archuleta Award
The purpose of the Ed Archuleta Award is to encourage and recognize water reuse leaders and those who have made outstanding contributions in the field of water reuse within the State of Texas. Please submit all nominations by May 15, 2020.
For more information please see the nomination form.
Registration includes admittance to:
- Reuse 101: – 1-5PM, July 20
- Conference Night Out Event: 6-9PM, July 21
- Technical Program: 8:30AM-4:30PM, July 21
NEW Latest Technologies in Emerging Contaminants Workshop:
- Collaboration with the WEF Disinfection & Public Health Committee
- Additional Registration Fee- $60
- 10AM-1PM, July 20
Registration Form- Coming Soon
Sponsorship Opportunities:
Place your organization’s name in front of senior managers and decision makers. Sponsorship is available at three levels, the benefits of each tier are listed in the sponsorship form- coming soon.
- Silver Sponsor- $350
- Gold Sponsor- $500
- Reception Sponsor- $750
- Lanyard Sponsor – SOLD OUT, Carollo
- Banner Sponsor – SOLD OUT, Plummer
Exhibitor Opportunities:
Exhibitor registration is now open. Space is limited, and available on a first-come, first-served basis. 8×10 booths are $400 apiece. Fill out the Exhibitor Registration Form and return it to the WEAT office.
Lodging:
Embassy Suites Frisco Hotel and Conference Center
7600 John Q. Hammons Drive, Frisco, Texas, 75034, USA
Conference Room Rate: $139/night. Mention Water Reuse to get the conference room rate. Reservations must be made by July 5, 2020, to receive the special rate. For reservations call: 1.972.712.7200
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Join Us!
2:00 – 3:15 pm Eastern | 11:00 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. Pacific
WateReuse Members: Free
Others: $49
PDHs: 1
Lake Lanier is a major source of water supply to the North Georgia region. Many communities surrounding Lake Lanier rely on it for both discharge of effluent as well as their sourcewater for drinking purposes. This practice, known as indirect potable reuse or surface water augmentation, provides a sustainable water supply solution for the region’s growing population. Specifically, in Gwinnett County, Georgia, the majority of the county’s 56 MGD of treated wastewater is discharged to the Lake, which is also the primary drinking water source. This transformation of wastewater into a valuable supply of sourcewater requires careful planning, monitoring, and protection of Lake Lanier.
While there have been various water research projects and planning efforts implemented throughout the Lake Lanier Watershed in the past, there does not exist a centralized coordinated plan that documents, facilitates, and coordinates an approach to developing the ideation, planning, prioritization, management, resourcing, and funding of applied water research projects.
In response to this identified need, The Water Tower, the new global innovation hub in Gwinnett County, Georgia, is leading the effort to create a forum through which stakeholders and researchers will work together to develop a Lake Lanier Watershed Research Master Plan. The Plan will provide a multi-year research roadmap of project concepts to address critical needs in the Lake Lanier Watershed. Funding for prioritized projects will be crowdsourced among the stakeholders and the be the focus of nonprofit, public and private grant applications. The research projects will be competitively bid, with regional and international third party technical expert oversight, and managed by The Water Tower, a 501c3 focused on research and innovation.
Presenters
- Kristan VandenHeuvel, Strategic Director of Research and Engagement, The Water Tower
- Steve Leo, Client Service Manager, Constantine Engineering
- Jeff Mosher, Principal Technologist, Carollo Engineers
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Join Us!
11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Pacific | 2:00 – 3:30 pm Eastern
WateReuse Members: Free
Others: $49
PDHs: 1.5
Join us as we learn how water reuse is being reimagined and employed in different ways and scales. We will hear from the Portland Water Bureau regarding decentralized on-site non-potable water reuse to address water resource challenges for the City of Portland. Chris Wanner is a commissioner of the National Blue Ribbon Commission on On-site Non-Potable Reuse and will discuss how Portland’s efforts fit into the Commission’s work on advancing on-site non-potable water reuse. We will then shift attention to a smaller community in the Pacific Northwest, the City of Hagerman, Idaho, to learn how they transitioned from discharging to the river to recycling their water and putting it to good use.
Presenters
- Chris Wanner, Portland Water Bureau
- Dan Ayers, JUB Engineers
- Justin Hulme, Public Works Superintendent, City of Hagerman, ID
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