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November 9, 2020

Resilience Redefined: WateReuse Seeks Proposals for Presentations at the 36th Annual WateReuse Symposium

The WateReuse Association invites proposals for presentations at the 36th Annual WateReuse Symposium, a series of live and on demand roundtables presented virtually March 15-25, 2021. Presentation proposals are due December 21, 2020.

Organized around the theme, Resilience Redefined, the 2021 Symposium will showcase the important role that water recycling plays in ensuring water security, safety, and supply. Presentation proposals should address one or more of the Symposium focus areas and subtopics. Produced in collaboration with The Water Research Foundation, the Annual WateReuse Symposium is the premier conference on water recycling.

Position yourself as a water reuse thought-leader by sharing creative solutions and approaches for water recycling as a public health and resiliency strategy. Share your expertise and leadership across the water sector! Submit a proposal here.

The 2021 Symposium will offer live, fully interactive roundtable discussions with breakout sessions March 15-25. To prepare attendees to fully participate, a limited set of pre-recorded 90-minute on demand roundtables will provide prerequisite education. Pre-recorded sessions will be available on-demand March 1 through April 23, 2021.

WateReuse invites water reuse experts, practitioners, and researchers to submit presentation proposals for the pre-recorded, on demand roundtables to stimulate and provoke discussion, facilitate knowledge transfer and development of competencies, and challenge attendees to think of new and innovative ways to use water recycling to improve water resource management.

Submit your proposal by December 21!

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Washington Update

What the U.S. Election Means for Water Recycling

On November 3, 2020, voters in the United States finished casting their votes in elections for the U.S. Senate, U.S. House of Representatives, and the presidency, among other offices. The outcomes of the elections have significant implications for legislative and regulatory policy matters related to water recycling.

Presidential Election and the Big Picture

At the time of writing, Joe Biden was leading in the three remaining battleground states—Georgia, Pennsylvania, and Nevada, pointing to a likely Biden victory in the coming hours or days. A Biden Administration is likely to focus on climate change, infrastructure, and green jobs, among other issues, upon taking office. During his campaign, Biden pledged to take a number of actions relevant to water recycling. These include:

  • Making climate change mitigation and adaptation a top national priority;
  • Seeking a $2 trillion investment “to build a new American infrastructure and a clean energy economy;”
  • Doubling federal investments in clean drinking water and water infrastructure, focusing new funding on low-income rural, suburban, and urban areas that are struggling to replace pipes and treatment facilities–and especially on communities at high risk of lead or other kinds of contamination;
  • Reducing the matching funds required of local governments that don’t have the tax base to be able to afford borrowing to repair their water systems;
  • Increasing federal funding for water technology research, and using the convening power of the White House to spur private-sector innovation, with the goal of using existing water resources more efficiently and reducing the cost and energy required to generate new water supplies;
  • Ensuring that every federal dollar spent on rebuilding our infrastructure is used to prevent, reduce, and withstand the impacts of climate change;
  • Investing in the integration of efficiency and water quality monitoring technologies, and the development of green infrastructure and natural solutions; and,
  • Launching a yearly $1 billion competitive grant program to help five cities pilot new planning strategies and smart-city technologies that can serve as models for the country.

While the Biden Administration will seek to move forward an ambitious agenda related to infrastructure, climate change, and resilience, the extent to which that agenda is realized will depend on Congressional action and approval. This will include proposals related to infrastructure, climate change, tax policy, COVID relief, and economic stimulus. As outlined in detail below, the political makeup of the House and Senate is not likely to shift dramatically. Republicans are likely to retain control of the Senate, and Democrats will retain their majority in the House. As such, major policy proposals will only succeed if they have the support of the Administration, the House, and the Senate. The gap that existed between House Democrats and Senate Republicans regarding big-ticket items will continue to exist, highlighting the need for continued compromise.

Senate Overview

In the Senate, at the time of writing, Democrats had netted one seat, bringing the Senate breakdown to 48 Democrats (including Independents who caucus with the Democrats) and 48 Republicans. Four races—in North Carolina, Alaska, and two in Georgia—had not yet been decided. In Alaska, Georgia, and North Carolina, Republican incumbents Dan Sullivan (R-AK), David Perdue (R-GA), and Thom Tillis were looking likely to retain their seats, though the Georgia race will be decided later in a runoff election. Wins in all three races would bring the total number of Republican seats to 51, for a net loss of two. With 51 seats, the Republicans would retain control of the Senate in the new Congress. A second Georgia race is also heading to a runoff election, meaning that we will not know the final makeup of the Senate until after the new year.

The outcomes of a number of key races will have significant implications for water recycling policy and funding. In Arizona, Democrat Mark Kelly defeated incumbent Martha McSally (R-AZ); and in Colorado, Democrat John Hikenlooper defeated incumbent Cory Gardner (R-CO). Both Senator McSally and Senator Gardner have been champions for water recycling in the Senate. In New Mexico, Democrat Tom Udall did not seek reelection, and is being replaced by Democrat Ben Ray Lujan, who currently serves in the House of Representatives.

House Overview

In the House, Democrats retained majority control, though they did not see the big wins that they had been anticipating. At the time of writing, Republicans had gained seven Democratic seats while Democrats had gained two Republican seats. A number of races with implications for water recycling policy had yet to be decided early on Friday. These include elections to represent California’s 21st and 48th districts, currently represented by T.J. Cox (D-CA) and Harley Rouda (D-CA), respectively. In both cases, the Republican challengers were leading at the time of writing.

Because the election did not result in a change in leadership or a major shift in the makeup of party caucuses (e.g. from more of a progressive caucus to a more moderate caucus or vice versa), we do not foresee major impacts from the election in the House.

Implications for Western Water Programs and Policy

The transition to the 117th Congress will bring major changes to the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources (ENR), which oversees western water issues. The Chair of the Committee, Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), is term limited in that position, and so will be leaving it at the end of the year. Senator John Barrasso (R-WY) is expected to leave his post as Chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee (EPW) to take over as ENR Chairman; Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) could be in line to replace Senator Barrasso as chair of EPW.  

As mentioned above, Senator Martha McSally (R-AZ) was defeated in her race against her Democratic challenger last week. McSally is currently Chair of the Water and Power Subcommittee of the ENR Committee. With her defeat, Senator Jim Risch (R-ID) would be next in line to lead that Subcommittee. Senator Cory Gardner (R-CO) also serves on the Water and Power Subcommittee, as does Senator Lamar Alexander (R-TN), who is retiring at the end of the year. The defeat of Senators Gardner and McSally, and departure of Sen. Alexander, open up seats on the Subcommittee. Both Sen. Gardner and Sen. McSally have been champions of water recycling in the Senate, and both are lead cosponsors of S. 1932, the Drought Resilience and Water Supply Infrastructure Act, which authorizes increased funding for water recycling in the West. Moving forward beyond the lame duck session, WateReuse will work with our members and Sections to build up and support new champions for water recycling in the Senate.

In addition to creating an open position on the ENR Committee, Senator Alexander’s retirement opens up his post as the Chairman of the Senate Energy and Water Appropriations Subcommittee. The Energy and Water Appropriations Subcommittee is responsible for setting discretionary funding levels for western water programs each year during the annual appropriations process. Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) is next in line in terms of seniority to take over as chairman; however, Sen. Collins already chairs the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Subcommittee, and is unlikely to move over to Energy and Water. Senator Murkowski of Alaska, who currently chairs the Interior-Environment Appropriations Subcommittee and is next in line after Sen. Collins, may choose to make the switch, given that she will be giving up her gavel at the helm of the Senate ENR Committee.

Should more senior members of the Appropriations Committee choose not to assume leadership of the Energy and Water Appropriations Subcommittee, Senator John Kennedy (R-LA) would likely move from his position as Chairman of the Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Subcommittee. In addition to having jurisdiction over the Bureau of Reclamation, the Energy and Water Subcommittee appropriates funding for the Army Corps of Engineers and Department of Energy, both of which have significant footprints in Louisiana.

In the House of Representatives, one member of the House Natural Resources (HNR) Committee’s Water Subcommittee, Joe Cunningham (D-SC), lost his seat to Republican challenger Nancy Mace. Another member of the HNR Water Subcommittee, T.J. Cox (D-CA), was trailing in a tight race at the time of writing. Current HNR Committee Ranking Member Rob Bishop (R-UT) did not run for reelection, and is likely to be replaced at the helm of the Committee by Congresswoman Liz Cheney (R-WY).

As with the HNR Committee, the election had only limited impacts on the membership of the House Energy and Water Appropriations Subcommittee. Representative Pete Visclosky (D-IN), who sits on the Subcommittee, did not run for reelection, and will therefore leave open a Subcommittee seat. Congresswoman Nita Lowey (D-NY), the current Chair of the full Appropriations Committee, is also retiring at the end of the year, prompting several senior members of the Committee to compete to replace her as Chair. One of the members running to replace Rep. Lowey as leader of the full Committee is Representative Marcy Kaptur (D-OH), who currently chairs the Energy and Water Appropriations Subcommittee. In the House, members can lead both a full committee and one of its subcommittees; so should Kaptur win, she may choose to retain her Subcommittee role as well.

Implications for the Clean Water Act, Safe Drinking Water Act, and U.S. EPA

Term limits more so than election results will be the driving force for changes to the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, which oversees the Clean Water Act, Safe Drinking Water Act, and programs administered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). As mentioned above, current EPW Chairman John Barrasso (R-WY) is likely to assume the chairmanship of the Senate ENR Committee, and is expected to be replaced at the helm of EPW by Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV).

As with the EPW Committee, the election results will not have a major impact on the Senate subcommittee responsible for funding the EPA and its programs—the Interior-Environment Appropriations Subcommittee. The Subcommittee is currently led by Senator Murkowski of Alaska. If Senator Murkowski chooses to replace Senator Lamar Alexander as Chair of the Energy and Water Appropriations Subcommittee, as discussed above, Senator Shelley Moore Capito would be next in line to chair the Interior-Environment Appropriations Subcommittee. Sen. Capito, however, would need to first relinquish her position as Chair of the Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee.

As Chair of both the EPW Committee and the Interior-Environment Appropriations Subcommittee, Sen. Capito would have a great deal of decision-making power over environmental policy and funding. Should Sen. Capito choose to remain Chair of the Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee, Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS) would likely take over on the Interior-Environment Subcommittee.

In the House of Representatives, the election is not expected to have a significant impact on the leadership or membership of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee’s Water Resources and Environment Subcommittee. Similarly, the election will not have a significant impact on the House Interior-Environment Appropriations Subcommittee.

In the coming months, there will be continued shifts in leadership positions and committee membership rosters. As decisions are made, we will report on changes and their implications for federal water recycling policy and funding.

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U.S. Department of Agriculture Invests $1.3 Million in Water Reuse Projects

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) awarded grants to two water reuse projects as part of its commitment to support the National Water Reuse Action Plan (WRAP). Under the 2020 Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) Program, White River Regional Irrigation Water Distribution District in Arkansas received $700,000 to incorporate water reuse volume and quality data in their Irrigation Water Management Plans. In Louisiana, the Louisiana State University Agricultural Center received $595,172 to develop irrigation strategies to decrease the salinity and suspended solids in agriculture tailwater for reuse. NRCS’s incorporation of water reuse in to the CIG Program is the result of conversations between WateReuse and USDA, as well as the ongoing federal coordination on the WRAP. Read more.

Feedback Requested: WateReuse Seeks Member Guidance on Implementation of National Water Reuse Action Plan

The WateReuse Association is seeking member guidance on implementation of the U.S. EPA’s national Water Reuse Action Plan (WRAP). To help guide implementation of a range of actions, please complete our survey here.

The WRAP was developed in partnership with WateReuse and other stakeholders. WateReuse is leading or co-leading a variety of actions, including developing a database to track and report state-level policies and regulations related to water reuse; establishing a water reuse award to recognize significant achievements in adopting and promoting water reuse in the industrial and corporate sectors; and helping to organize events related to stormwater reuse, inter-state collaboration, and workforce development.

State Updates and Member Profiles

Welcome New Member!

The WateReuse Association welcomes the following new member:

Arizona: Flagstaff Developing Master Plan to Increase Water Reuse

Flagstaff Water Services is developing a Reclaimed Water Master Plan to identify opportunities to use more recycled water to secure the city’s water future. Flagstaff currently finds beneficial, non-potable uses for one-third of the water that the city reclaims, reducing potable water use by 20 percent. A Community Stakeholder Committee on Reclaimed Water has been established to review and discuss potential strategies for the community to grow its water reuse program.  Read more.

Oklahoma: University of Oklahoma Earns First Gold LEED Rating with Water Reuse

Gallogly Hall at the University of Oklahoma in Norman has received a LEED Gold rating, thanks in part to a water recycling system that captures stormwater and condensate recovery systems for reuse in the building’s purified water system. Although the university has other LEED-certified buildings, the water reuse system paired with four additional strategies helped the university earn its first Gold LEED certification. The building also is expected to have an energy cost savings of 39 percent.  Read more.

Texas: Rice University Researchers Look to Enhance Desalination Technology

Researchers at the Nanotechnology Enabled Water Treatment Center (NEWT) developed a new cost-effective technology for desalinating high strength industrial brine. Dr. Qilin Li, co-director of NEWT, and his team developed a thin coating of the 2-D nanomaterial hexagonal boron nitride, which they have found to increase desalination efficiency when treating industrial brine. NEWT is looking for industrial partners to help the research team scale-up their new coating process. Read more.

COVID-19 Research

UC Berkeley Launches Pop-up Lab to Monitor Bay Area Wastewater for COVID-19

A team of UC Berkley scientists, wastewater utilities, and public health agencies are working to monitor the Bay Area’s wastewater for signs of COVID-19. The team set up a temporary lab to test high-throughput wastewater in the region. The pop-up lab allows the region to track the community’s spreading of COVID-19 and can provide early warning for potential outbreaks. Read more.

International Update

UNESCO Releases Water Reuse Circular Economy Report

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) highlighted water reuse within a circular economy context in a recent report. The report covers water reuse principles, decision making, understanding challenges, water reuse and key stakeholders, and technology for water reuse through the lens of case-studies across the globe. Read here.

Egypt Explores Water Reuse to Bridge Water Gap and Reduce Pollution

The Egyptian government is in discussions with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) on the possibility of EBRD partnering with Egyptian banks to finance water reuse projects. Egypt’s Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation, Mohamed Abdel Aaty, recently met with EBRD representatives to discuss developing modern projects that would treat wastewater and agricultural runoff for reuse to minimize pollution and close the country’s water gap. Additionally, Egypt is interested in seawater desalination. Read more.

Water Reuse Europe Opens 2020 Innovation Prize Applications

Applications are open for the Water Reuse Europe Innovation Prize 2020. The aims of this prize are to reward the professionals who are breaking new ground in the design and delivery of water reuse projects and showcase projects and initiatives which are at the forefront of reuse practice in Europe. The award will be given to the Most Innovative Water Reuse Scheme in Europe. Three finalists will be invited to participate in the Water Reuse Europe Webinar December 3, 2020. The application deadline is November 15, 2020. Apply here.

Member Resources and Benefits

Have a Question You’d Love to Ask a Peer? Use WateReuse Connect to Find the Answer

In this time of social distancing, opportunities for peer-to-peer networking are more important than ever. WateReuse members can use WateReuse Connect to access a member-to-member network of more than 7,000 water recycling practitioners, business leaders, regulators, academics, and technology providers. Recent discussion topics have included innovative partnerships, scheduling of recycled water deliveries, downstream flows, and COVID-19. Post your questions, observations, and unique challenges on our online platform to benefit from the unique experiences of other members across the nation and around the world. It’s simple to use with your member login information. For help accessing WateReuse Connect, please email Member Services.

Conferences, Webcasts and Events

Save the Date: 36th Annual WateReuse Symposium – Resiliency Redefined

Mark your calendar for the 36th Annual WateReuse Symposium, presented virtually March 15-25, 2021 as a series of live, fully interactive roundtable discussions. Each live roundtable includes breakout rooms that allow you to turn on your camera and interact face-to-face with presenters and other attendees. To prepare attendees to fully participate in this unique interactive experience, a group of pre-recorded, on demand roundtables will provide prerequisite education. Experience the 2021 WateReuse Symposium from the comfort of your own office in manageable chunks, and earn professional development hours! Learn more.

National Water Research Institute 2020 Clarke Prize Virtual Ceremony

Join the National Water Research Institute in congratulating the 2020 Clarke Prize awardee, Dr. Karl Linden of the University of Colorado-Boulder. The award ceremony will be streamed live on YouTube on Tuesday, November 10 at 12:25 pm PT. Linden is the Mortenson Professor in Sustainable Development at the University of Colorado in Boulder and is an innovator in wastewater treatment technology. Currently, Linden’s research focuses on UV light-emitting diode (LED) and UV disinfection for water treatment systems.  Watch the event here.

Free Virtual Event: National Alliance for Water Innovation Annual (Virtual) Meeting

The National Alliance for Water Innovation (NAWI) will hold its annual meeting as a virtual event November 18-19, 2020. NAWI’s Annual Meeting provides an opportunity to directly connect with interested members of the NAWI Alliance community through an innovative process called the NAWI UnConference. In this event on Thursday November 19, participants will be given their own Zoom Room to host other NAWI meeting participants who want to learn about their organization, research needs, capabilities or interests. Register here.

Free Webinar: City of Vancouver – Rainwater Harvesting & Non-potable Water System Design

The City of Vancouver is hosting a free webinar November 20, 2020 from 1 – 2:30 pm PT. How can rainwater harvesting help a new building meet its onsite rainwater management requirements? This seminar addresses the use of rainwater and groundwater for non-potable applications (such as toilet flushing, irrigation and cooling towers) from the perspectives of the Vancouver Building By-law and Vancouver Coastal Health. It will be of benefit to architects and building design consultants, engineers and technologists. Register here.

Free Virtual Event: Water Utility Resilience Forum

Water utilities will come together on December 1-2, 2020 for a virtual discussion of how utilities can be resilient and sustainable now and for the next one hundred years. Featuring insights from industry leaders and subject-matter experts, the Water Utility Resilience Forum will be a rich dialogue on what utilities are doing today to be resilient and what a resilient future looks like. The Forum is free to attend and is being convened by the Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies (AMWA) and the National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA) in partnership with the Water Research Foundation (WRF) and the Water Information Sharing and Analysis Center (WaterISAC). Learn more.

U.S. EPA Webinar: Workforce Technology Adoption – It’s All About the People

Join the U.S. EPA and speakers from MCES (Minnesota) and the Water Tower (Georgia) on December 9 for a discussion of Technology Adoption to support the workforce of the future. The speakers will discuss the motivations, challenges, and benefits they are experiencing as they work with their own employees and others to ensure their people get the best support possible to meet the technology and water quality challenges of the 21st century. This presentation is part of an ongoing webinar series sponsored by EPA, with support from water associations. Register here.

Upcoming Events

Agenda
Agenda
July – August 2024 Jul – Aug 2024
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Jul
16
Tue
WateReuse Mid-Atlantic Presents: Water Recycling in the Capital Region
Tickets
Jul 16 @ 1:30 pm – 6:00 pm
This event is free for all attendees. The WateReuse Mid-Atlantic Section is hosting its inaugural event, Water Recycling in the Capital Region, on Tuesday, July 16, 2024 at D.C. Water. Register Now! “Water Recycling in the Capital Region,” will bring together utilities, businesses, and local stakeholders to explore water recycling as a critical tool to help surrounding communities achieve their sustainability and resilience goals. The event will include two panels focusing on existing municipal reuse services as well as decentralized and onsite operations from throughout the greater capital area. Following the panels, attendees are invited to a networking reception.
Event Schedule:
  • 1:30pm-2:00pm – Welcoming Remarks: David Gadis, Chief Executive Officer and General Manager, DC Water (invited)
  • 2:00pm-3:15pm – Panel: Centralized Municipal Water Recycling
    • Hampton Roads Sanitation District, VA
    • Upper Occoquan Service Authority, VA
    • Howard County, MD
    • City of Westminster, MD
    • Loudoun County, VA
  • 3:15pm-3:30pm – Break
  • 3:30pm-4:30pm – Panel: Decentralized/Onsite/Stormwater Capture and Reuse
    • Fairfax County, VA
    • AlexRenew, VA
  • 4:30pm-4:45pm – Closing Remarks
  • 4:45pm-6:00pm – Happy Hour Networking & Reception on the DC Water HQO Rooftop
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Categories: General WateReuse Mid-Atlantic
Pacific Northwest Section Meeting
Tickets
Jul 16 @ 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
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Categories: WateReuse Pacific Northwest
Jul
18
Thu
WateReuse Colorado Meeting
Tickets
Jul 18 @ 12:00 pm – 2:00 pm

Agenda will be shared via email closer to the meeting date.

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Categories: WateReuse Colorado
Jul
28
Sun
Arizona WateReuse 2024 Symposium @ Little America Hotel
Tickets
Jul 28 – Jul 30 all-day
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Categories: WateReuse Arizona
Aug
9
Fri
WateReuse California Legislative-Regulatory Committee Meeting
Tickets
Aug 9 @ 12:30 pm – 2:00 pm

Please find below the 2024 schedule for the Legislative-Regulatory Committee. All in-person meetings will be held at the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California’s Sacramento offices located at: 1121 L Street, Suite 900, Sacramento.]

 

Both in-person and virtual meetings will occur from 12:30 to 2:00 pm. Those indicated as virtual will occur over Zoom and a link will be provided on the agenda.

 

The 2024 WRCA Annual Conference will be at the: Hyatt Regency Orange County.

 

Please save the date for our 2024 meeting dates:

 

1. January 19 – in person

2. March 8 – virtual

3. March 22 – in person

4. April 12 – virtual

5. May 10 – in person

6. May 31 – virtual

7. June 21 – virtual

8. August 9 – virtual

9. September 16 – in person (at annual conference)

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Categories: WateReuse California WRCA Leg-Reg
Aug
13
Tue
WRCA Los Angeles Chapter Meeting
Tickets
Aug 13 all-day
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Categories: Los Angeles WateReuse California
Aug
15
Thu
WateReuse Texas Board Meeting
Tickets
Aug 15 @ 10:00 am – 11:30 am
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Categories: WateReuse Texas
Orange County Chapter Meeting @ Moulton Nigel Water District
Tickets
Aug 15 @ 11:30 am – 1:30 pm
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Categories: Orange County Chapter WateReuse California
Aug
16
Fri
Central Valley/Sierra Foothills Chapter Meeting
Tickets
Aug 16 all-day

Joint Meeting with Northern California chapter, time and location TBD.

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Categories: Central Valley/Sierra Foothills Chapter WateReuse California
Northern California Chapter Meeting
Tickets
Aug 16 @ 9:00 am – 12:00 pm

The meeting will be May 17 at Mitchell Park Community Center 3700 Middlefield Rd, Palo Alto. The topic is Commissioning, Operations and Compliance perspectives and we will have presentations from:

  • Steven Garner, Director of Certification for AWWA Cal-Nevada will be presenting what it takes to get an AWTO Certification for purified systems
  • Vincent Gruffat and Brandon Jacka, Engineer and Operations Managers for Natural Systems Utilities (NSU) will be presenting the perspectives from operating Onsite non potable water systems
  • Derrick Mansell, Operations Manager of Orange County Water District will be presenting the challenges and lessons learned from operating the world’s largest IPR system
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Categories: Northern California WateReuse California
July – August 2024 Jul – Aug 2024

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