November 19, 2018
Washington Update
WateReuse Association Urges Lame Duck Action on Western Water Investment Programs
WateReuse Association Joins Water Sector in Urging Passage of Legislation to Fund Water Research
The WateReuse Association signed onto a joint water sector letter sent to House and Senate appropriation chairs November 13 in support of swift action to pass the FY2019 Interior, Environment and Related Agencies Appropriations bill upon returning into session, which includes $4.1 million for the National Priorities Water Research Grant program. This program is one of the few federal programs that sponsors extramural research to address the most pressing needs of the water sector, including water recycling research sponsored by the Water Research Foundation. Although Congress has supported funding for the program since 2012, funding of this grant program would be less certain under a Continuing Resolution.
State Updates and Member Profiles
Welcome New Member!
The WateReuse Association welcomes the following new members:
California: Water Board Set to Revise CWSRF Policy
On November 28, the California State Water Board will revise the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) Policy to help manage the extreme demand the program has experienced in recent years. The CWSRF is a major source of funding for recycled water projects in California. One of the significant changes contained in the draft CWSRF Policy is replacing a Project List with the “Fundable List.” The primary purpose of the Fundable List is to identify potentially eligible projects the Water Board intends to finance during a particular state fiscal year. Only the projects listed on the Fundable List would be eligible to receive financing. WateReuse California submitted comments to the Water Board and will testify at the hearing. WRCA has also asked the Water Board to request additional bond financing to help fund the huge backlog of recycled water projects.
Maryland: Water Reuse Initiative Aims to Increase Reuse; Update Regulations
Although water reuse is not new to Maryland, the Maryland Department of Environment (MDE) is a year into a water reuse initiative intended to raise awareness, improve business certainty with clear reuse guidelines, offer financial and technical resources, and incorporate water reuse into long range planning for Chesapeake Bay restoration and Maryland’s statewide water supply plan. Maryland currently recycles water for non-food crop irrigation, golf course irrigation, power plant cooing, and data center cooling. As part of this initiative, MDE is exploring ways to remove barriers to increasing the volume of reuse and expanding the types of reuse. Learn More.
New Mexico: EPA, New Mexico Release Draft White Paper on Water Reuse in the Oil and Gas Sector
The State of New Mexico and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency released a draft white paper that addresses state and federal regulatory management of produced water, along with opportunities to treat and reuse the water to help alleviate water scarcity issues across the state. New Mexico is the third largest oil producing state in the United States and is seeking ways to reuse the water that is produced during oil and gas extraction and the EPA has a goal of promoting wastewater as a resource. The final white paper is scheduled for release at the end of 2018. Learn More.
Association Update
Webcast Introduces Recycled Water User Network
Conference and Events
Webcast: Using Onsite Water Recycling Systems to Transform Water Management
Please join us on December 11 at 2 p.m. ET to learn how communities such as San Francisco and Denver are incorporating onsite non-potable water systems to diversify their water supply portfolios and transform the way water is managed in buildings. Increased interest in sustainable resource management has resulted in the adoption of a diverse array of water recycling and reuse techniques that maximize valuable water supplies to meet the challenging water demands of the 21st century.
Paula Kehoe, the Director of Water Resources at the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, will present on San Francisco’s innovative Non-potable Water Program. Established in 2012, San Francisco’s Non-potable Water Program allows for the collection, treatment, and use of alternate water sources for non-potable uses in buildings, and provides a streamlined permitting program for onsite water systems. In addition, she will present on the recent work of the National Blue Ribbon Commission for Onsite Non-potable Water Systems, a group of public utilities and health agencies building consensus on water quality standards and permitting approaches, to help municipalities build local permitting programs for onsite water systems.
Brian Good, Chief Administrative Officer of Denver Water, will present on upcoming regulatory changes and remaining challenges for onsite water recycling in Colorado. He will also present on two of Denver Water’s projects that are moving forward with design and construction guided by a One Water approach to water management. Register Now!
Upcoming Events
Join Us!
2:00 – 3:00 pm Eastern ; 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Pacific
WateReuse Members: Free
Others: $49
PDHs: 1
Project WET (Water Education Today) advances water education to understand global challenges and inspire local solutions including water reuse. With most of the world currently engaged in distance learning, Project WET has adapted their programs to provide valuable resources to a wide range of audiences, including utilities, parents, children, educators, community members, and corporations. Join us to learn how you can use Project WET’s interactive, hands-on activities to educate ratepayers, build community support for water recycling, and create home learning opportunities for your own children.
Project WET will also share details on new resources and opportunities, including:
- Water reuse student booklet (will be completed September 2020)
- New training guides for educators and parents (can be water reuse specific)
- Individual lessons for students (digital and print)
- Online training programs (educators, students, parents)
- Water education website for children DiscoverWater.org
Through its worldwide network of implementing partners, Project WET is active in all 50 U.S. states and more than 70 countries.
Presenters
- Morgan Close, VP of Projects and Programs, Project WET
- Julia Beck, VP of Networks, Project WET
- Marilyn Hall (Moderator), Senior Water Resources Planner, Athens-Clarke County Public Utilities (Georgia)
WateReuse Arizona Section Meeting & Webinar
11 am PDT | 11 am MST | 2 pm EST
Fee: Complimentary
PDHs: 1
In January 2018 the State of Arizona lifted the prohibition that restricted Direct Potable Reuse. This effort was to provide more options for communities facing problems with droughts and water shortages. Scottsdale Water has been at the forefront of water reuse starting with Indirect Potable Reuse in 1998 and has successfully recharged billions of gallons of highly purified water. Now once again Scottsdale Water continues to lead the way in Direct Potable Reuse innovation. In late 2018, joint discussions between ADEQ and the city led to a process that would have Scottsdale receive the first Arizona permit, at a permanent facility, to serve water for Direct Potable Reuse. The groundbreaking permit effectively establishes a model for cities across Arizona and elsewhere to begin working towards reusing their precious water resources for future, long-term water sustainability.
Scottsdale Water received the final permit on September 9, 2019 allowing DPR on a demonstration scale. This presentation will step through the internal processes and discussions that resulted in the final implementation. Considerations and evaluations made included constructability for both internal and external sources, overall timeline and milestones for completion of project, equipment selection, system design layout and size (permit), input by staff, system redundancy (UV), and lessons learned. It will also outline how ADEQ and Scottsdale Water worked to create criteria for the monitoring and regulation of this water allowing ADEQ to use this as a basis to create full permit program for pathogen removal, emerging contaminants, operator training, ongoing monitoring and reporting. Since September 9, tour groups, Scottsdale Water Citizen Academy and City employees, have had the opportunity to drink the advanced purified reclaimed water, in addition to the water provided to make beer for Scottsdale Canal Convergence event.
Presenter
David Walby is the Water Reclamation Services Director for Scottsdale Water. He previously served as the Wastewater Collection Manager. He is Responsible for direction and management of the Water Resources facilities and staff that ensure reliable and safe collection, treatment and reuse of reclaimed water. He is also responsible for the State’s first permitted state-of-art Direct Potable Reuse facility. Acts as a technical advisor and performs policy-level coordination, advisory and administrative functions relating to the operation of the City’s water reclamation (sewer collection, wastewater treatment, and reuse/recharge) systems.
Join Us!
2:00 – 3:00 pm Eastern ; 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Pacific
WateReuse Members: Free
Others: $49
PDHs: 1
In the words of California Governor Gavin Newson, “The greatest challenge facing California is access to water. And the greatest challenge facing water access is public understanding. The Rainbow will capture public imagination and accelerate popular acceptance of water recycling.”
The Rainbow is a planned public artwork by artist Michael Jones McKean, envisioned to catalyze the implementation of water reuse. An advanced purification system (MBR, RO, UVAOP) will treat raw wastewater to potable standards to produce water for The Rainbow. Set against the iconic landscapes of the Golden Gate Bridge and San Francisco Bay, and using only the site’s natural sunlight and the purified recycled water, artist Michael Jones McKean and partners San Francisco Art Institute and Fort Mason Center for Arts and Culture (FMCAC) will create a massive water wall in which The Rainbow will emerge at daily intervals as well as use the water for non-potable reuse.
Presenters
- Hesse McGraw, Curator and Writer
- Brynne Weeks, Carollo Engineers, Inc.
- Andrew Salveson (Moderator), Carollo Engineers, Inc.
Join Us!
2:00 – 3:30 pm Eastern
11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Pacific
NACWA and the WateReuse Association are partnering to gather a panel of experts for NACWA’s June Legal Hot Topics Webinar to discuss the recent US Supreme Court decision in the case of County of Maui v. Hawaii Wildlife Fund. The panel will analyze the new “functional equivalence” test for determining whether a discharge is subject to Clean Water Act permitting and address what the decision means for public clean water utilities, the scope of the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) program, and water reuse projects.
Join Us!
2:00 – 3:00 pm Eastern | 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Pacific
WateReuse Members: Free
Others: $49
PDHs: 1
Although advanced water purification effectively and efficiently removes pollutants, there is potential for trace levels of unregulated constituents to be present in all treated drinking water. Improvements in analytical instrumentation now allow scientists to measure constituents of emerging concern (CECs) and disinfection byproducts (DBPs) at very low concentrations. Please join us for a discussion of the latest science on the prevalence of CECs and DBPs in water reclamation and water reuse and a framework for monitoring and controlling CECs and DBPs in potable reuse. The presentation will include an in depth overview of effective treatment practices, including source control, unit process removal efficacy, and overall treatment train performance. The guidance and best practices provided will help you ensure that you are incorporating the latest science and technology in your treatment approaches.
Presenters
- Larry Schimmoller, Global Technology Leader for Water Reuse, Jacobs
- Eric Dickenson, Water Quality R&D Manager, Southern Nevada Water Authority
Join Us!
2:00 – 3:00 pm Eastern | 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Pacific
WateReuse Members: Free
Others: $49
PDHs: 1
Sponsor: Brown and Caldwell
Early information about the wastewater coming into wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) and even into advanced water purification facilities (AWPF) can provide insight into the treatability of that water, offering the opportunity for early notice about operational adjustments to make before that water reaches a treatment facility. This presentation will present a utility’s experience piloting an innovative approach to demonstrate how smart devices and cloud-based data platforms can support monitoring real-time discharges into the wastewater system, improve industrial pretreatment programs and how that approach could be applied to potable reuse applications in the future.
Presenters
- Tasha King-Davis, City of Memphis
- Joshua Balentine, Brown and Caldwell
- Kati Bell, Brown and Caldwell
- Melanie Holmer, Brown and Caldwell (Moderator)
Launching June 24 -25
Don’t Miss the FIRST EVER WateReuse California virtual conference!
Join us for an easy to navigate, virtual conference experience.This is MORE than just a Replacement Event for the March 2020 Conference, this is an opportunity for our community to stand TOGETHER in these unprecedented times to recognize the good work we do and share ideas for the future.
The WateReuse California virtual conference will be available online until July 31, 2020.