Home\WateReuse Review – November 12, 2018

November 12, 2018

 

Washington Update

Election Update: Democrats to Chair Key House Committees in Next Congress

Interior Secretary Zinke Proposes Reorganization, including Bureau of Reclamation

EPA Recognizes WateReuse Association Members for Excellence and Innovation in Clean Water Infrastructure

 

State Updates and Member Profiles

California: Governor Cites Orange County’s Innovation and Efficient Water Use in TV Interview

Governor Gavin Newsom cited WateReuse Association member the Orange County Water District’s groundwater replenishment system as an example of the type of innovation needed to combat the state’s water challenges during an interview on Hulu’s I love You, America. In a comical exchange, host Sarah Silverman challenged the governor on the use of the term “Toilet to Tap” and the two engaged in a discussion of better ways to describe purified water. The clip was widely shared on social media.

California: East Valley Breaks Ground on State-of-the Art Treatment Facility

WateReuse Association member the East Valley Water District recently celebrated the groundbreaking of the Sterling Natural Resource Center, a state-of-the-art treatment facility in Highland, about 65 miles east of Los Angeles. The $150 million facility will be capable of treating up to 10 million gallons a day and will recharge the local groundwater basin. The center will also offer education and training, community space, neighborhood improvements, and new habitat for the Santa Ana Sucker fish. Read More.

 

Association Update

WateReuse Sees Growing Interest on East Coast

 

Research Update

CDC to Study Antibiotic Resistance in Recycled Water

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recently awarded a contract to study antibiotic resistance in recycled water to Amy Pruden, a professor in the College of Engineering at Virginia Tech. Pruden’s team will examine a range of markers of antibiotic resistance through local water reclamation facilities treating water for reuse purposes. The researchers will track a range of antibiotic resistant pathogens of concern and identify which water treatment and disinfection processes are most effective for their removal. They also plan to examine the potential for new strains of resistant bacteria to evolve during wastewater treatment through the use of advanced next generation DNA sequencing. Read More.

 

Conferences and Events

Webcast: Learn about the New Recycled Water User Network

Are you interested in recognizing recycled water customers as community water stewards or strengthening your marketing to potential new customers? Please join us for a webcast on Thursday, November 15 at 2 pm EST to learn about a new resource for WateReuse members and a new membership program for industrial and commercial users of recycled water called the Recycled Water User Network™. The network provides a member-only platform for users of recycled water, including customers of water utilities and organizations that recycle water onsite, and is designed to be a resource for members of the WateReuse Association to market and provide support to current and potential customers of recycled water, while building public acceptance of recycled water in your community. The network provides businesses, governments and nonprofits that use recycled water the opportunity to receive a green designation, Water StarTM and to access information and resources on recycled water.  Members of the network would also receive access to the Association’s membership benefits, including access to monthly webcasts, weekly newsletter, and discounts on conference registration fees. To learn more about how your utility can take advantage of the Recycled Water User Network, register today for the webcast.

Webcast: Reducing the Cost of Concentrate Disposal: Using a Novel Hybrid NF-RO to Enhance Sodium Chloride Removal

Concentrate disposal is a major cost for desalting operations, and for many water-recycling applications only partial desalting is needed, often targeting sodium chloride specifically. Please join us on Wednesday, November 14 at 2 p.m. EST to learn about a pilot study that was conducted to demonstrate the viability of a two-pass system, combining an NF pass with a second RO pass and blending the NF concentrate with the RO permeate. Findings indicate that sodium chloride can be preferentially removed from the recycled water, chemical and power consumption can be reduced when operated at system recoveries comparable to typical RO systems, and much higher recoveries are achievable with modest increases in power and chemical usage. Register Now!

Save the Date – 34th Annual WateReuse Symposium

Marriot Marquis San Diego Marina, San Diego, California
September 8 – 11, 2019

The 34th Annual WateReuse Symposium is in San Diego, California September 8-11, 2019. This year’s theme is “Collaborate to Innovate.” We will showcase recycled water collaborations among utilities, farmers, and industry; regulators working together at both the state and federal level; sustainability; public/private partnerships; and, for the first time, the latest in reuse research led by the Water Research Foundation. The Annual WateReuse Symposium is the nation’s premier conference on water recycling. The event attracts more than 500 water professionals from around the nation.

Upcoming Events

Oct
14
Tue
Q3 Inland Empire WateReuse Chapter Meeting @ Eastern Municipal Water District
Oct 14 @ 11:30 am – 1:00 pm

Join us on Tuesday, October 14, 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. at the Eastern Municipal Water District Board Room in Perris, CA for the Q3 Inland Empire WateReuse Chapter Meeting.

This meeting will bring together nationally recognized leaders in potable reuse, offering a rare opportunity to learn about and engage with transformative projects in San Diego, Los Angeles, and the California inland region.

Why attend:

  • Hear directly from experts driving landmark reuse projects.
  • Connect with engineers, utilities, vendors, and regulators.
  • Gain insights that will accelerate innovation and resilience.

Lunch will be provided for all attendees.

👉RSVP here

We also encourage you to extend this invitation to colleagues in the field who would benefit from this unique opportunity to connect, learn, and collaborate. To help spread the word, we are providing a flyer which you can share or post in break rooms, lunchrooms, bulletin boards, or other common spaces (as allowed) where your teams and colleagues will see it.

Oct
16
Thu
WRAZ Section Meeting & Webcast
Oct 16 all-day
Orange County Chapter Meeting
Oct 16 all-day
How to Navigate Enhanced Source Control for AWP
Oct 16 @ 1:30 pm – 2:30 pm
How to Navigate Enhanced Source Control for AWP

Date & Time:
Thursday, October 16, 2025
10:30AM PST _ 1:30PM EST

Register Now!

In Spring 2025 Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) codified the Advanced Water Purification (AWP) rule. Under this rule, an applicant is required to conduct an Initial Source Water Characterization (ISWC) and implement an Enhanced Source Control Plan (ESCP). These two requirements are intertwined and require coordination. The purpose of the ISWC is to understand the baseline Advanced Water Treatment Facility (AWTF) feed water quality. The ESCP serves as a mechanism to identify, control, or eliminate constituents of concern (COCs), as identified during ISWC sampling, that are discharged to the collection system.

An ESCP extends beyond federal Industrial Pretreatment Program (IPP) requirements. Given the lack of environmental buffers inherent to AWP, a primary goal of an ESCP is to provide additional control measures to protect public health, as well as instill public confidence in the safety of AWP. As part of the AWP rule, an ESCP must incorporate monitoring of industry and regulated contaminants as required through an IPP, as well as consider monitoring of unregulated but possibly problematic chemicals (harmful or pass-through/interference) discharged to the sewer. The regulations also stipulate the development of an excursion response plan covering the source(s)/collection system, the Water Reclamation Facility, and the AWTF.

The ISWC lays the groundwork for developing the ESCP. Several approaches used at various utilities implementing potable reuse programs will be showcased to help navigate the requirements of the AWP rule. Additionally, utilities will need to consider other complexities, such as overlap with Tier 1 (Safe Drinking Water Act) constituents and chemicals that undergo changes during advanced treatment as part of the chemical inventory. Ultimately, the core questions that this presentation aims to address are: a) How do the ESCP and ISWC support safe and successful implementation of Arizona’s AWP rule, and b) What are strategies, using examples as a guide, Arizona utilities may use to meet their ESCP and ISWC regulatory requirements?

 

In-Person Location: Black & Veatch 2231 E Camelback Rd, Ste 300, Phoenix, AZ 85016

Moderator:    

  • Erin Young, Water Resources Manager, Flagstaff Water Services, WRAZ President

Presenter:    

  • Doug Rice, Process Engineer, Black & Veatch
  • Mary Kate Forkan, Lead Scientist, Carollo Engineers
Oct
21
Tue
Water Reuse Europe – Knowledge Exchange Day
Oct 21 @ 9:00 am – 5:00 pm

The third edition of Water Reuse Europe’s Knowledge Exchange Day will take place on 21 October 2025 in Brussels, Belgium.

This event will showcase the outcomes of recent and ongoing water reuse research projects delivered across Europe, providing a valuable platform for knowledge transfer between WRE members and non-members.

Water Reuse Europe’s Knowledge Exchange Days offer an excellent opportunity for researchers to present their findings, share innovative tools, and engage with potential partners in the water reuse sector. The event fosters collaboration among researchers, commercial companies, utilities, and public bodies, driving innovation and advancing the sector.

Professionals involved in the design and operation of water reuse schemes will benefit from insights into cutting-edge research, networking with key industry players, and discussions on the future of water reuse.

This edition will particularly highlight the impact of EU and nationally funded water reuse projects, including those supported by Horizon Europe. Attendees will gain insights into the latest advancements in R&D, connect with experts, and explore opportunities for future funding and collaboration.

Pacific Northwest Section Meeting
Oct 21 @ 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
Oct
23
Thu
Central Coast Chapter Meeting
Oct 23 all-day

Chapter Meeting: Agenda and Details TBD

2025 WateReuse Florida Annual Meeting @ Loews Sapphire Falls Resort Universal Orlando
Oct 23 @ 8:00 am – 1:00 pm

Join Florida water reuse professionals to hear about legislative efforts, new technologies, WRFL will provide an update on our future activities, plus hear from a Florida representative.

COST:
Members: $50
Non-Members: $75

Do you need  a hotel? Check out these hotel options:
Universal Cabana Bay Beach Resort (across the street from Sapphire Falls Resort)
Universal Terra Luna Resort
Drury Inn & Suites Universal Orlando

Parking for the event at the Sapphire Falls Resort has been discounted to $15/day.

Register Now!

Become a Sponsor

Draft Agenda

Oct
24
Fri
WRCA Legislative & Regulatory Committee
Oct 24 @ 10:00 am – 2:00 pm

The in-person Sacramento location is different for this meeting only:

925 L Street, Sacramento, CA  95814
First Floor Conference Room

Nov
13
Thu
Water Recycling: Past, Present, and Future Through the Eyes of the Nation’s First Potable Reuse Project to Use Surface Water Augmentation
Nov 13 @ 10:00 am – 11:00 am
Water Recycling: Past, Present, and Future Through the Eyes of the Nation’s First Potable Reuse Project to Use Surface Water Augmentation

10:00 am EST | 7:00 am PST (1 hour)
WateReuse Members: Free; Others: $55
PDHs: 1

Register Now!

Join WateReuse Ohio to learn about Upper Occoquan Service Authority’s water recycling history & journey.

Upper Occoquan Service Authority (UOSA) is a regional water recycling facility that protects public health and the environment as trusted stewards of our most precious resource – water. They have a long track record and will discuss their story along with how they are facing new challenges, such as emerging contaminants (PFAS), changes to influent load from water conservation, and changes to treatment targets.

UOSA was formed on March 3, 1971 by concurrent resolution of the governing bodies of Fairfax and Prince William Counties and the Towns (now Cities) of Manassas and Manassas Park. UOSA’s product water flows via Bull Run to the Occoquan Reservoir, one of two major water supply sources for Virginia residents served by Fairfax Water. Fairfax Water serves nearly two million people in Fairfax County, the City of Alexandria, and portions of Prince William County and Loudoun County.

Moderator:    
  • Jessica Langdon, Assistant Policy Director, Ohio EPA
Presenter:    
  • Brian Steglitz, Chief Executive Officer, Upper Occoquan Service Authority

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