Resilience Redefined: WateReuse Seeks Proposals for Presentations at the 36th Annual WateReuse Symposium
Washington Update
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
Calling Reuse Communicators!
You are invited to join us for a conversation about water reuse communications in the Pacific Northwest. The success of reuse projects in the PNW hinges on community support which is only made possible through effective communication. Join other WateReuse communications professionals and advocates from the Pacific Northwest for a workshop to share your experience and support effective communication in the region.
What: Join us Wednesday, September 11th at City of Boise City Hall starting at 8:00 AM with an opportunity for networking and donuts. We will get to know each other, spend some time discussing gaps and opportunities for communication in our region, and take the beginning steps toward aligning on common terminology and language. We will explore communication opportunities and gaps in the region and align on stakeholders and language.
Agenda:
- DONUTS, COFFEE, Introductions/ Networking Icebreaker
- 8:30 AM KICKOFF
- Gap Identification—“What do you need to be effective?”
- Terminology Round table
- Subcommittee solicitation/ call to action
When: Wednesday, September 11th 8:00- 10:30 AM
Where:
City of Boise City Hall
150 N Capitol Blvd, Boise, ID 83702
Please RSVP to Natalie Monro (nhnida@cob.org) by September 5th. Thank you!
2024 WateReuse California Conference
Garden Grove, CA
September 15-17, 2024
The WateReuse California Annual Conference welcomes over 700 water professionals for three days of networking, technical sessions, and panels on the most pressing water reuse issues in the state. The conference includes the Annual California Reuse Awards of Excellence ceremony and much more.
https://watereuse.org/sections/watereuse-california/meetings-events/2024-california-annual-conference/
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Join us for our annual chapter mixer which will be held Sunday, September 15 from 7-8:30 PM. The event will be held at Oggi’s Pizza & Brewing Company, right across the street from the conference hotel in Garden Grove. This event is always one of our chapter highlights of the year and is a great opportunity to connect.
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)
This presentation will span municipal and industrial drivers for the use of reclaimed water at data centers, and how those shared drivers lend themselves to unique cost share/funding opportunities. Water quality considerations will be discussed, including those that determine reclaimed water compatibility for data center use and those that determine return flow compatibility with municipal systems. Lastly, recommendations will be shared for the achievement of long-term, mutually beneficial water reuse relationships.
Presenters:
Ken Horner, PE – Senior Associate – Industrial Water | Corporate Lead for Data Centers, Hazen and Sawyer
Stephanie Ishii, PhD, PE – Director of Integrated Resource Technologies, Hazen and Sawyer
Moderator: Tiffani Kavalec.
REGISTER HERE
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Agenda will be provided via email as we get closer to the meeting date.