October 22, 2018
Washington Update
Congress Enacts Major Water Infrastructure Legislation, includes Support for Water Reuse
Membrane Technology in Water Reuse Highlighted in Washington Briefings
State Updates and Member Profiles
Welcome New Members!
The WateReuse Association welcomes the following new members:
- Manav Global MB LLC
- Purifics Water Inc.
California: New Law Will Expand On-Site Water Recycling
California Governor Jerry Brown recently signed a bill, SB966, which will expand water recycling in California by developing on-site water reuse regulations. Introduced by state Senator Scott Wiener, the new law requires the state water board to issue more comprehensive regulations for on-site water recycling. The new law will give businesses clear standard on how to permit on-site systems. WateReuse Association member the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, WateReuse California, and the US Green Building Council all supported the bill.
California: Malibu Opens $61 Million Water Recycling Facility
The City of Malibu recently held a ribbon cutting ceremony for its new $61 million Civic Center Water Treatment Facility, which will recycle 70 million gallons of water each year to irrigate parks and public landscaping. The city formed a community facilities district to fund the design and then formed an assessment district among Civic Center properties to fund the construction. Attendees of the ribbon cutting took guided tours of the facility to view and learn about the system’s major features. Learn More.
Florida: Tampa Bay Times Publishes Editorial in Support of Potable Reuse
The Tampa Bay Times published an editorial October 12 in support of a proposed potable reuse project that would add purified water into the area’s drinking water supply. The editorial states, “this is a smart use of precious natural resources and an example of regional thinking, and the utility’s governing board should approve it.” Under the proposal, 50 million gallons of purified water would be injected into the aquifer each day. When the water is pumped back up, about half would go to Tampa’s drinking water treatment plant and the other half to the Hillsborough River reservoir. Read More
New Mexico: New Planned Community Required to Recycle Water
WateReuse Association member the Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority is requiring a proposed 13,700-acre planned community to include water reuse as an integral part of its water management strategy. The developer would be required to build a drinking water system, a reuse system, and a wastewater system at an estimated cost of $600 million over the 50-year-build-out. Water Utility Authority officials have told developers that groundwater is available on the property, but no additional water capacity within the Water Utility Authority’s current infrastructure is available for the community. Read More.
Association News
Water Reuse Baseline Data Indicates Rate of Adoption in U.S.
WateReuse Executive Director Participates in Maryland-Israel Sister State Water Security Summit
Conferences and Events
Webcast: Learn about the New Recycled Water User Network
Please join us on Thursday, November 15th at 2:00 pm EST to learn about the WateReuse Association’s newest membership opportunity, the Recycled Water User Network. The network gives 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 and 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!
Upcoming Events
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.
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.
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.
More information and registration at: https://www.water-reuse-europe.org/event/water-reuse-europe-knowledge-exchange-day-2025/
Chapter Meeting: Agenda and Details TBD
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.
The in-person Sacramento location is different for this meeting only:
925 L Street, Sacramento, CA 95814
First Floor Conference Room

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