
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
Stakeholder meeting for pending changes to TCEQ Chapter 217 relating to reclaimed wastewater collection systems. View the advocacy updates article for more details, or visit the Wastewater System Design Criteria Stakeholder Group for the proposed changes and future meeting announcements.
Friday, June 9, 2023
11:00 am to 2:00 pm ET (Remote)
More info TBD

1 pm PT | 4 pm ET (1 hour)
WateReuse Members: Free; Others: $49
PDHs: 1
Save the Date: Registration will open soon
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service, agriculture accounts for more than 80% of the nation’s water consumption. Water reuse is uniquely suited to provide resilience, local control, environmental protection, and high water quality for this critical demand. Join our webcast to learn about two innovative approaches to securing America’s food supply with water reuse, strategies for overcoming obstacles, and gain insight on how USDA conservation programs can be a valuable resource in funding these projects.
Presenters:
- Chris Hay, Conservation Design Scientist, Iowa Soybean Association
- Julie Hawkins, State Conservationist, USDA-NRCS
- Mike McCullough, Director of External Affairs, Monterey One Water
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