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October 11, 2021

Charting our Future: Learn and Network at the 37th Annual WateReuse Symposium

Make plans to join us for the 37th Annual WateReuse SymposiumMarch 6-9, 2022, in San Antonio, Texas and on the WateReuse virtual conference platform. The Annual WateReuse Symposium is the premier conference on water recycling — attracting more than 800 water professionals globally for knowledge-sharing, networking, and intriguing discussions! 

  • Super Saver Registration is open through October 31, exclusively for WateReuse members. If you normally take advantage of early-bird registration discounts, this year you can register earlier and save even more. Register now and save up to $200!
  • Call for Presentation Proposals: WateReuse invites water reuse experts, practitioners, researchers, and young professionals to submit proposals for a place on the podium during the Symposium. WateReuse is looking for fresh presentations emphasizing the future of water reuse globally. View the Call for Presentations and submit proposals online by November 1, 2021.

Call for Nominations: WateReuse Awards for Excellence to Honor Member Achievements

Get the recognition you deserve! The WateReuse Awards for Excellence honor WateReuse members, their projects, and their partnerships for significant contributions in advancing water reuse. Award recipients exhibit leadership in water reuse education, advocacy, technology, and/or implementation, showcasing innovative approaches that others can follow.  Award nominations are due October 22, 2021. Learn more.

Washington Update

Sign Letter Urging Congress to Act Now on Water Recycling Investment

The WateReuse Association has been working with Congress to enact landmark infrastructure legislation that invests in water recycling across the country. While we have secured more than $1 billion for water recycling in proposed legislation passed by the House and Senate, our work is not done!

Congress and the White House are in the final throws of negotiating the final versions of legislative packages that propose to invest significantly in infrastructure, including water recycling projects. We need your help today to ensure that funding for water recycling programs is retained in the final legislation. 

Click here to add your organization to our sign-on letter urging Congress to act now! The deadline for signing is Thursday, October 14. Please contact WateReuse Association Policy Director, Greg Fogel with any questions.

House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Holds Hearing on Emerging Contaminants

House Transportation and Infrastructure (T&I) Committee’s Water Resources and Environment Subcommittee held a hearing last week to examine the challenges that emerging contaminants pose to water quality and public health. During the hearing, the Subcommittee heard testimony from WateReuse member, Hampton Roads Sanitation District Director of Water Quality James Pletl. Pletl urged Congress and the U.S. EPA to address per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and other emerging contaminants through source control programs. Read more.

EPA Forecasts $21.7 Million in Grants for Rural Water

The U.S Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) expects to release $21.7 million in grant funding for small drinking water and wastewater systems by October 15, 2021. The funding opportunities will assist in providing technical assistance and training to rural systems. The grant builds upon the $12 million in new grant funding previously released for small, rural, and Tribal wastewater systems. Read more.

Federal Agencies Release Climate Adaptation and Resilience Plans

In response to the Biden Administration’s executive order on tackling the climate crisis, federal agencies submitted climate adaptation and resiliency plans to the National Climate Task Force, White House Council on Environmental Quality’s (CEQ), and Office of Management and Budget (OMB). The more than 20 plans are open for public comment through November 6. The WateReuse Association is analyzing the plans and will be submitting a set of comments and recommendations to the Administration. If you are interested in sending in comments for this effort, please contact Aliza FurneauxRead more.

State Updates and Member Profiles

Section Update: WateReuse Pacific Northwest Position Paper Provides Implementation Strategy for Water Recycling

The Pacific Northwest section of the WateReuse Association encourages the three states within the region (Idaho, Oregon, Washington) and their respective organizations and communities to continue looking for effective ways to recycle water. This position paper, in tandem with the section’s recent workshop summary report, are key tools in advancing the implementation of sustainable reuse strategies across the region. Read the Paper.

CA: East County Advanced Water Purification Releases Virtual Tour

A new 360-degree virtual tour of the East County Advanced Water Purification Program provides a guided tour of facilities that will create new, local, sustainable, and drought-resilient drinking water supplies for East San Diego County. Viewers who have a virtual reality headset for cell phones can take engagement one step further by “stepping into” the video. The project is a collaborative effort between Padre Dam Municipal Water District, the City of El Cajon, the County of San Diego and Helix Water District. Watch the Tour.

NC: Surf City Explores Purple Pipe System for Residential Irrigation

With a focus on environmental stewardship, Surf City is exploring the benefits of water recycling, particularly the protection of groundwater supplies. City officials noted the importance of community engagement and have received positive feedback on the concept of implementing a water reuse program. Read more.

Research Update

Researchers Use Nuclear Physics to Study Aquifer Flows in Floridan Aquifer

Understanding the age and origin of groundwater is critical in informing water management practices, such as water recycling and aquifer recharge, used to protect groundwater supplies. Scientists from the University of Chicago applied a dating technique developed by nuclear physicists at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory to study the origin and flow of freshwater and saltwater in the Floridan Aquifer. Read more.

WateReuse Member Resources and Benefits

Visit the WateReuse Webcast Library for On-Demand Technical Education

Did you miss a WateReuse webcast you really wanted to see? Or are you looking for information to support your water recycling program? The WateReuse Webcast Library is available exclusively to members and includes over 100 presentations that you can watch on demand with a member login. WateReuse presents webcasts on water recycling technology, operations, research, and policy issues and archives them for member use. Visit the WateReuse Webcast Library to make your selection.

Interactive Map on State Water Reuse Policies and Regulations

Do you need information about water reuse policies and regulations from across the United States? Visit the state policy map on our website to find summaries of the regulatory landscape in key states, as well as links to specific polices and regulations. Clicking on a particular state opens a pop-up window with detailed information about the state. WateReuse invites members to help us fill in gaps in knowledge using the comment box provided on the page. The map is updated periodically as new information is received and/or states update their regulations. View the state policy map here.

Water Reuse Conferences, Webcasts, and Events

Upcoming Events

Webcast: Navigating Onsite Water Reuse Regulations – Utility Perspective

October 13, 2021
11 am PT | 2 pm ET (1 hour)

This webcast will explore explore the experiences of several utilities across the country in planning, establishing, and setting up onsite water reuse programs. A panel of utility representatives will offer expert insight into navigating various state regulations or regulatory development processes. Register here.

Webcast: Geochemical Considerations for Managed Aquifer Recharge Implementation in Potable Reuse

The Water Research Foundation
October 19, 2021
10 am PT | 1 pm ET (1 hour)

This webcast will summarize the results of Geochemical Considerations for Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR) Implementation in Potable Reuse (project 5051). Results include a decision framework to evaluate potential physical and geochemical issues anticipated when applying potable reuse for MAR to basins or wells. Register here.

Webcast: Water Reuse in the 87th Session of the Texas Legislature

October 14, 2021
9:30 am PT | 12:30 pm ET (1.5 hours)

Join WateReuse Texas and WEAT’s discussion about water bills passed the 87th Session of the Texas Legislature! This webinar will discuss several water bills passed in the 87th Session of Texas legislature, including SB 3, and will focus specific attention to the water reuse bills including SB 905 and SB 601. Learn more.

Webcast: Agricultural Reuse in California: Moving to the Next Level

November 10, 2021
11 am PT | 2 pm ET (1 hour)

Join WateReuse California’s Agriculture Reuse committee to discuss the benefits of agriculture reuse, programs and case-studies, regulations, and an outlook for the future. Register here.

Calendar

Oct
10
Tue
Germany’s Approach to Water Reuse for Agricultural and Landscape Irrigation
Oct 10 @ 11:00 am – 12:30 pm
Germany’s Approach to Water Reuse for Agricultural and Landscape Irrigation
8:00 am PT | 11 am ET  | 5:00 pm CET (1 hour 30 minutes) WateReuse Members: Free; Others: $49 PDHs: 1.5 Germany’s Approach to Water Reuse for Agricultural and Landscape Irrigation Register Now! Despite Germany’s temperate climate and history of adequate water resources, the country is experiencing droughts and extreme weather trends as a result of climate change. Germany’s increasing interest in employing water reuse for agricultural and landscape irrigation can serve as a model for other temperate regions facing these trends. Join us for this 90-minute webcast covering the full timeline of reuse in Germany, including reuse initiatives which have existed for decades, future outlooks for reuse in Germany, and the recent European Water Reuse Regulation (2020/741) which went into effect in June 2023. Our panel of research and utility experts will also present ongoing research related to non-potable reuse of municipal wastewater for agricultural and landscape irrigation, which is part of the German BMBF Water Technologies: Reuse (WavE) funding program. Moderator:
  • Dr. Veronika Zhiteneva, Project Manager, Kompetenzzentrum Wasser Berlin
Speakers:
  • Dr. Christina Jungfer, Project Manager, DECHEMA
  • Prof. Dr. Jörg E. Drewes, Chair of Urban Water Systems Engineering, Technical University of Munich
  • Markus Büttner, Environmental Engineer, Stadtentwässerung SCHWEINFURT
  • Prof. Dr. Thomas Wintgens, Chair of Urban Water Management and Institute of Environemtnal Engineering, RWTH Aachen University
  • Prof. Dr. Thomas Dockhorn, Director, Institute of Sanitary and Environmental Engineering, Technical University of Braunschweig
  • Prof Dr. Aki S. Ruhl, German Environment Agency, Technical University of Berlin
WRCA Los Angeles Chapter Meeting @ Rowland Water District
Oct 10 @ 11:00 am – 1:00 pm

Our next Bimonthly Member Meeting will be held in-person on Tuesday, October 10th at Rowland Water District, 3021 Fullerton Road, Rowland Heights, CA 91748Lunch will begin at 11:00 a.m., and the formal meeting will begin at 11:30 a.m. 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, October 6th by filling out the form at this link: https://forms.office.com/r/itWNqv2xh9Please indicate if you plan on joining for lunch as well as the formal meeting so that we may get an accurate count. This meeting will have a capacity limit of 35 people.

Oct
12
Thu
Northern California/Central Valley Joint Meeting
Oct 12 @ 9:00 am – 1:00 pm
Oct
17
Tue
Pacific Northwest Section Meeting
Oct 17 @ 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
Oct
19
Thu
WateReuse Arizona: High-Recovery Desalination: Tradeoffs in Reuse
Oct 19 @ 11:00 am – 12:00 pm
WateReuse Arizona: High-Recovery Desalination: Tradeoffs in Reuse

11:00 am PT | 2 pm ET (1 hour)
WateReuse Members: Free; Others: $49
PDHs: 1

Register Now!

High-recovery desalination processes offer the benefit of increasing water recovery, generally with increasing cost and complexity.  Reverse osmosis and electrodialysis desalination processes will be reviewed and compared with respect to high-recovery water reuse applications.

Moderator:

Erin Young, R.G.

Hydrogeologist | Water Resources Manager

City of Flagstaff Water Services

eyoung@flagstaffaz.gov | w: (928) 213-2405

 

Presenter:

Shane Walker, Ph.D., P.E.

Director, Water Resources Center

Professor, Civil, Environmental, & Construction Engineering

Texas Tech University

shane.walker@ttu.edu

806-834-0823

Orange County Chapter Meeting @ Irvine Ranch Water District
Oct 19 @ 11:30 am – 1:30 pm
Oct
26
Thu
WateReuse AZ 4Q Section Meeting & Election
Oct 26 @ 12:00 pm – 1:30 pm
Nov
1
Wed
WRFL Annual Meeting @ Tampa Bay Grand Hyatt
Nov 1 @ 8:00 am – 1:00 pm
WRCA Los Angeles – Emerging Professionals Committee for a tour of MWD’s Weymouth Water Treatment Plant
Nov 1 @ 10:00 am – 12:00 pm

Please join the Emerging Professionals Committee for a tour of MWD’s Weymouth Water Treatment Plant on November 1, 2023, from 10 am – 12 pm! Tour capacity is limited to 30 people so please RSVP ASAP to reserve your spot at the link here: https://forms.gle/gxGhtcBLVwWMTG1F7

Constructed in 1941, the Weymouth Water Treatment Plant is the first water treatment plant constructed by the MWD and now has a treatment capacity of 520 million gallons per day! Please check out the fact sheet here for more information: water-treatment-plants-fact-sheet-final_web.pdf (mwdh2o.com)

Event Address: 700 Moreno Ave, La Verne, CA 91750

Parking is available on site.

Following the tour, anyone who is hungry is open to join us at In-N-Out Burger:

Restaurant Address: 2098 Foothill Blvd, La Verne, CA 91750

For more information, please contact Seto Cherchian at 714.944.4726 or SCherchian@brwncald.com.

Nov
5
Sun
2023 WateReuse California Annual Conference @ Indian Wells, CA
Nov 5 – Nov 7 all-day

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