Deadline Extended! Submit a Nomination for the WateReuse Awards for Excellence by October 16
Is your utility or business demonstrating leadership in advancing water recycling? Or do you know of an organization, individual, or partnership that has implemented an innovative solution in the past 22 months that will inspire others? If so, submit a nomination for the 2021 WateReuse Awards for Excellence to get the recognition you deserve. Nominations are due October 16, 2020.
The 2021 WateReuse Awards for Excellence will recognize accomplishments for 2019 and 2020. Winners will be recognized in conjunction with the 36th Annual WateReuse Symposium in March 2021. Submit a nomination now!
Washington Update
Feedback Requested: WateReuse Seeks Member Guidance on Implementation of National Water Reuse Action Plan
There are two opportunities for WateReuse Association members to provide guidance on the 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 Water Reuse Action Plan Survey.
- The Water Research Foundation is also requesting stakeholder feedback on a WRAP action it is leading to develop a strategy for water reuse research. The research survey can be found here.
The WRAP was developed in partnership with WateReuse and other stakeholders to foster greater adoption of water recycling.
Modernization of Congress Final Package Passed out of Committee
The Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress passed their final package of recommendations with 40 new recommendations aiming to “make congress work better for the American people.” The recommendations address Article One responsibilities including improving the congressional calendar, boosting congressional capacity, and reforming the budget and appropriations process. The committee has passed a total of 97 recommendations and the final report will be released to the public in the coming weeks. Read More.
State Updates and Member Profiles
Member Spotlight: Pure Water Soquel Receives $88 Million Federal Loan for Potable Reuse
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced an $88 million Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) loan to the Soquel Creek Water District in California for an innovative water purification project. Pure Water Soquel will use advanced technology to purify recycled water, producing 1.3 million gallons per day of safe, high-quality water and providing a reliable, sustainable and drought-resistant water supply. The project will also prevent further intrusion of saltwater into the aquifer. Read More.
California: Google Honored for Recycled Water Use in Los Angeles Facility
The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) recently announced Google LLC as the 2020 Recycled Water Customer of Year for its ground-breaking use of recycled water at the Google Spruce Goose facility in Playa Vista. LADWP’s Recycled Water Customer Award recognizes customers and their achievements in water conservation and sustainability. The Google facility is the only privately-owned facility in Los Angeles to use recycled water for its cooling towers. By the end of this year Google plans to recycle approximately 22 acre-feet of water, equivalent to a football field under 22 feet of water. Read More.
Oregon: Intel’s Biggest Water Facility Recycles One Billion Gallons
The new water recycling plant at Intel’s Ronler Acres campus in Hillsboro recently surpassed the billion-gallon mark, underscoring the company’s global efforts to reuse the water it needs for advanced computer chip manufacturing. Once recycled, the water goes into scrubbers, cooling towers and other equipment, creating a loop of reclaim and reuse. Intel’s Hillsboro water recycling plant is the company’s largest in the world now operating — the only other one of comparable size is in Ocotillo, Arizona, which is still in its startup phase. Read More.
Texas: Corpus Christi Reviews Ten Alternative Water Supply Projects
The City of Corpus Christi began the process of reviewing proposals from 10 companies that responded to a bid requesting information on alternative water sources. Of the ten proposals, two were for water reuse, six were for desalination, and two were for groundwater projects. The city is pursuing a $222.5 million loan from the Texas Water Development Board for a desalination plant within the Inner Harbor of the Corpus Christi Ship Channel. Read More.
Member Spotlight: Orange County Water District Receives Low Interest Loan for Potable Reuse Expansion
California’s Orange County Water District received a Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) loan for up to $181 million to finance the construction of its Ground Water Replenishment System Final Expansion project. The project purifies wastewater and uses it to recharge the Orange County Groundwater Basin and to create a barrier to prevent seawater intrusion into the groundwater. The CWSRF program is a federal-state partnership that provides communities low-cost financing for water infrastructure. Read More.
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 and Events
Webcast: Potable Reuse Permitting to Startup— The Pure Water Monterey Journey
Join our panel for an informative discussion of how Pure Water Monterey, a first-of-its-kind potable reuse project, navigated the process from permitting to design and construction. Pure Water Monterey treats and purifies municipal wastewater, agricultural drainage water, industrial wash water, and urban stormwater runoff before injecting the water into a local drinking water basin through a public-private partnership. Learn about the potable reuse process from start to finish and the coordinated efforts required to pioneer new concepts, overcome hiccups, and secure a critical new water supply.
Register here.
EPA Webinar: Water Utilities Financial Impact Tool and 2020 COVID-19 Water Sector Survey
The U.S. EPA will host a webinar on October 8 on the Water Utilities Financial Impact Tool and the 2020 COVID-19 Water Sector Survey. The webinar will include a live demonstration of the tool and a discussion on the survey. The tool leads water utilities through questions that can determine how their revenues, expenses, and cashflow have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The survey intends to assess the challenges and needs faced by the water sector during the COVID-19 pandemic to determine if they have sufficient resources to continue their operations and provide safe drinking water and wastewater treatment during the COVID-19 national emergency.
Register here.
Stream On Demand: 35th Annual WateReuse Virtual Symposium Available through October 24
The complete 35th Annual WateReuse Symposium is available to view On Demand through October 24 via the fully interactive Virtual Symposium Platform. More than 800 registrants joined for the live days, September 14-16, and continue to access over 100 hours of content. New attendees can still register and stream the sessions on demand.
Upcoming Events
1 pm PT | 4 pm ET (1 hour)
WateReuse Members: Free; Others: $49
PDHs: 1
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:
- Dr. Chris Hay, Conservation Design Scientist, Iowa Soybean Association
- Julie Hawkins, State Conservationist, USDA-NRCS
- Mike McCullough, Director of External Affairs, Monterey One Water
Add to Calendar