
Washington Update

Contact Your Member of Congress to Advocate for Water Recycling Funding
Member Survey: Share Your Comments on the Draft National Water Reuse Action Plan by Wednesday
State Updates and Member Profiles

Welcome New Members!
The WateReuse Association welcomes the following new members:
- City of Davis, California
- Cyclopure, Inc.
California: WateReuse California Surveys Water Reuse Funding Needs
WateReuse California is surveying California utilities to support a 2020 water bond strategy that could include significant funding for water recycling projects. To best position reuse in these ongoing discussions, WRCA is asking California water agencies to share their funding needs for reuse over the next 5 to 10 years. To complete the short survey, click here.
California: Metropolitan, Sanitation Districts Launch New Water Recycling Facility
Two WateReuse Association members, the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California and the Sanitation Districts of Los Angeles County, celebrated the start of operations at the Regional Recycled Water Advanced Purification Center. The 500,000-gallon-per-day demonstration facility takes effluent from the Sanitation Districts’ Joint Water Pollution Control Plant and purifies it using a process that begins with membrane bioreactors followed by reverse osmosis, ultraviolet light and advanced oxidation. The 15-month pilot is in preparation for a full-scale plant that could potentially produce up to 150 million gallons of purified water daily – enough to serve more than 500,000 homes and industrial facilities. Read More.
California: Ventura Approves $200 Million Plan to Purify Water for Drinking
The City of Ventura approved a $200 million plan to increase drinking water resources and reduce the treated wastewater released into the Santa Clara River estuary. Through indirect potable reuse, the new plant will add about 4,000 acre-ft. of water per year to the city’s groundwater supplies. When the new treatment plant is up and running in 2025, about 1.9 million gallons per day of treated water will be released to the river, compared to the 7.9 million gallons per day currently released. Read More.
Kansas: Hays Overhauls Treatment Plant, Expands Reuse Capacity
WateReuse Association member the City of Hays recently completed an upgrade to the Chetolah Creek Water Reclamation and Reuse Facility, which was overhauled to meet future nitrogen and phosphorus limits. Hays uses its recycled water for irrigation at sports fields and the municipal golf course. Recycled water is also available to the community through an adjacent fill station. Read More.
Research Update
Bureau of Reclamation Announces Funding for Desalination Research
The Bureau of Reclamation has released a funding opportunity for research under its Desalination and Water Purification Research Program. Funding of up to $250,000 is available for laboratory scale projects and up to $800,000 per proposal for pilot-scale projects. Applicants for desalination and water purification research project funding must submit their proposals by December 4. Learn More.
WRF Seeks Proposals to Assess Research Needs for Stormwater Reuse
The Water Research Foundation (WRF) is seeking proposals for a project to evaluate the state of the knowledge and research needs for stormwater reuse. The project will examine variations in stormwater harvesting at regional and state levels and develop a synthesis document, which will include recommendations on preliminary project concepts. Applicants may request up to $20,000 from WRF with at least 33 percent of the project costs coming from other sources. Learn More.
Conferences and Events
Upcoming Events

11 am PT | 2 pm ET (1 hour)
WateReuse Members: Free; Others: $49
PDHs: 1
The Four Corners region includes the arid western states of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah. These four states have several common challenges to providing reliable water supplies including: rapid population growth, severe long term drought conditions, and dwindling or overallocated natural water sources. Indirect potable reuse is currently being practiced in these states, often through managed groundwater replenishment or incidental means. Is engineered potable reuse the next step to building safe, reliable, and resilient water resource portfolios?
While water utilities in the Four Corners states are taking steps toward direct potable reuse (DPR), each of these states face different implementation challenges. This panel discussion delves into the progress and issues regarding DPR in the region.
Speakers:
- Brian Biesemeyer CITY OF SCOTTSDALE, AZ
- Robert Fowlie REPRESENTING THE VILLAGE OF CLOUDCROFT, NM
- Steve Gallegos CITY OF RIO RANCHO, NM
- Raymond Garrison CITY OF SOUTH JORDAN, UT
- Tyson Ingles CO DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENT
- Sarah Page UTAH DIVISION OF DRINKING WATER
- Austa Parker BROWN AND CALDWELL
- Javier Setovich CITY OF GOODYEAR, AZ
- Katie Vanyo BROWN AND CALDWELL
- Matt Benak, TOWN OF CASTLE ROCK, CO
Add to Calendar

11 am ET | 8 am PT (1 hour)
WateReuse Members and Florida Water Reuse Week Registrants: Free; Others: $49
Registrants for Florida Water Reuse Week will receive a discount code for free webcast registration
PDHs: 1
Florida reuses 34 percent of its wastewater compared to the national average of about 7 percent. A recent statewide survey showed that 75 percent of Floridians are familiar with the concept of using reclaimed water for irrigation, industrial uses, and other non-drinking purposes. However, as the state is undergoing record-setting growth and rulemaking for direct potable reuse, additional education and outreach is needed to gain public acceptance. Water professionals and utilities from across the state are working collaboratively through WateReuse Florida to develop and implement consistent messaging on how reuse will safely supply Florida’s future. As Florida celebrates Water Reuse Week May 15-21, join us to hear about the latest education and outreach efforts happening to support traditional and potable reuse at the local and state level.
- Robyn Felix, Communications & Board Services Bureau Chief, Southwest Florida Water Management District
- Tamara Richardson, P.E., Director of Polk County Utilities
-
Shea Dunifon, Education Coordinator, Pinellas County Utilities, Florida
Add to Calendar