
Washington Update

WateReuse Association Success in House Water Infrastructure Bill, H.R. 1497
Senate Passes Funding Package for Water Recycling Programs
Jeff Lape Named EPA’s First National Program Leader for Water Reuse
Last week, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Assistant Administrator for Water, Dave Ross, announced that Jeff Lape will serve as the Office of Water’s first National Program Leader for Water Reuse. Lape moves from his role as Deputy Director in the Office of Science and Technology for this one-year detail. EPA’s water reuse team has three core assignments: (1) finish the Water Reuse Action Plan by February 2020 in close coordination with public and private partners, (2) develop a system to ensure implementation of the Action Plan once finalized, and (3) institutionalize water reuse into the Office of Water operational culture. The WateReuse Association is working closely with EPA to accomplish its goal of solving water security challenges for generations to come.
Senate Technology and Innovation Hearing Highlights Water Reuse
On October 30, the Water Subcommittee of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee held a hearing to examine the use of technology and innovation to increase water security and economic development in the West. Nearly all of the witnesses and numerous members of the Subcommittee, including the chair and ranking member, spoke about the importance of water reuse and its relationship to technological innovation. The witnesses included Dr. John Sabo, Director of Future H20 at Arizona State University; Stephen Harper, Global Director of Environment, Energy and Sustainability Policy at Intel Corporation; Mary Beth Sewald, CEO of the Las Vegas Metro Chamber of Commerce; Amit Land, CEO of EMS Mekorot Projects; and Margi Hoffman, Community Relations Director for the Farmers Conservation Alliance. Ahead of the hearing, the WateReuse Association submitted testimony for the record in support of water recycling and innovation.
State Updates and Member Profiles

Welcome New Member!
The WateReuse Association welcomes the following new member:
California: Recycled Water Coming to Three New Apple Valley Parks
WateReuse Association member the Victor Valley Reclamation Authority will provide recycled water for three new parks in Apple Valley in the Spring. The recycled water will be piped to Lenny Brewster Park, Civic Center Park and Thunderbird Park to irrigate plants and grass. The work is expected to be completed in March 2020. Read More.
California: Eastern Municipal Water District Receives $36M for Groundwater Improvements
WateReuse Association member Eastern Municipal Water Districtreceived a $36.3 million grant from the State Water Resources Control Board for the Perris North Groundwater Program. The proposed project would improve groundwater quality and make beneficial use of available local groundwater supplies, further reducing reliance on imported water supplies. The grant award covers up to 50 percent of the estimated $72 million program. Read More.
WateReuse Member, Biwater, Named Preferred Treatment Equipment Manufacturer
WateReuse Association member Biwater Inc. has been named the preferred original equipment manufacturer (OEM) for Omya’s advanced remineralization process, used in water reuse and desalination treatment. Under the terms of this agreement, the companies will partner on selected projects where Biwater will design, supply, and implement Omya’s technology. Each company expects to expand and grow its market share in the desalination and water reuse industry with this advanced complementary treatment technology. Read More.
WateReuse Past President Guy Carpenter to Lead Water Engineering for Stanley Consultants
Stanley Consultants announced last week that WateReuse Association Past President Guy Carpenter will lead its water engineering business. Based in Muscatine, Iowa, Stanley Consultants is a worldwide provider of engineering, environmental and construction services. Carpenter, formerly a vice president with Carollo, will develop and execute global water market strategy at Stanley Consultants, engage with key industry leaders to identify new trends, and direct the business development team towards new opportunities and manage profit and loss. Read More.
WateReuse Customer 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
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
Santa Monica Institute Meeting Room
330 Olympic Drive
Santa Monica, CA 90401
- Lunch will begin at 11:00 a.m. Thank you to our lunch sponsor, Woodard & Curran.
- The formal meeting will begin at 11:30 a.m. Parking is available in the Civic Center Parking Structure above the meeting room.
- A tour of the Sustainable Water Infrastructure Project (SWIP) will follow the formal meeting, starting at 1:15 p.m. Please wear closed-toed shoes.
- There will also be an option to participate in the meeting virtually. A Zoom meeting registration link will be sent out with the agenda about one week prior.
- Whether you plan to attend in person or via Zoom, please RSVP by Friday, December 1st by filling out the form at this link: https://forms.office.com/r/6B7UknVNmz. Please indicate if you plan on joining for lunch, the formal meeting, and/or the tour, so that we may get an accurate count. This meeting will have a capacity limit of 50 people.
Save the date for our December chapter meeting!
Please save the date for our last chapter meeting of the year on Thursday, December 7 at 3 p.m. This meeting will be held in person at the San Diego County Water Authority in Kearny Mesa, followed by a happy hour at Khan’s Cave
The meeting will include a presentation from Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District on their recycled water project, 2024 officer elections, regulatory updates, and more! We look forward to seeing you all there.
Mark your calendars and stay tuned for more information coming soon.
Friday, December 8, 2023
11:00 am to 2:00 pm ET (Remote)

11 am PT | 2 pm ET (1 hour)
WateReuse Members: Free; Others: $49
PDHs: 1
With water supply limitations driven by factors such as population growth, urbanization, and climate change, along with more stringent regulatory requirements for wastewater discharges, direct or indirect potable reuse is becoming increasingly essential to address water resiliency issues. Carbon Based Advanced Treatment (CBAT) has increasingly been adopted as a treatment solution to treat municipal effluent to provide a safe, reliable augmentation of drinking water supplies.
CBAT involves the use of biologically activated carbon (BAC) usually with ozone, followed by granular activated carbon (GAC) to achieve advanced treatment of water. It may also include flocculation/sedimentation and UV disinfection. Join a panel of experts to explore the various combinations of this process, and get updates on key case studies using CBAT for potable reuse.
Moderator:
TBD
Speakers:
- Andrew Newbold, Principal Engineer, Hazen & Sawyer
- Gaya Ram Mohan, PhD, PE, Environmental Engineer, Hazen & Sayer
- Erik Rosenfeldt, PhD, PE, National Drinking Water Practice Leader, Hazen & Sawyer
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10:00 am PT | 1 pm ET (1 hour)
WateReuse Members: Free; Others: $49
PDHs: 1
Across the country, more and more communities are exploring reuse as part of a larger water management strategy. But even the best public projects live and die by community acceptance, and history has shown this is doubly true for water reuse projects. Community engagement is a vital element to designing and launching plans that will create lasting impact. Community engagement is not, however, a one-size-fits-all endeavor. What motivates communities in Seattle will not be the same as Boise, or rural Oregon. In this webinar, we will discuss the importance of localizing a communications and engagement strategy to reflect the values, culture and drivers of each specific community. We will look at two Pacific Northwest case studies from Boise and the WateReuse Oregon Subcommittee that demonstrate effective, local engagement approaches.
Moderator:
Holly Tichenor, Management Consulting National Practice Leader, Brown and Caldwell, WateReuse PNW Board President
Presenters:
- Natalie Monro, Communications Coordinator, City of Bellingham, WateReuse PNW Board VP
- Haley Falconer, Environmental Division Senior Manager, City of Boise
- Jared Kinnear, Reuse Program Manager, Clean Water Services
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