News

The West Basin Municipal Water District (Carson, CA) is celebrating the production of its 100th billion gallon of recycled water. West Basin produces 35 million gallons of recycled water each day and delivers it to more than 200 sites through 70 miles of purple pipes. The utility plans to double its recycling and conservation efforts by 2020.

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill recently announced two initiatives to honor the late Dr. Daniel A. Okun, who died in December 2007 after a long career as an educator, water pioneer, and water reuse advocate. The Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering has established the Dan Okun Memorial Fund to fund a scholarship and create an endowment for a chapter of Engineers Without Borders.

The State of Texas, the University of Texas, El Paso Water Utilities, and the U.S. Army recently announced plans to establish the Center for Inland Desalination Systems, a research center designed to study ways to make brackish water desalination more efficient. The $6 million research center will be located at the University of Texas at El Paso.

Australia's first project to use recycled water to augment drinking water supplies is scheduled to begin operating in February 2009. About 60 megaliters of purified recycled water will be pumped into a southeast Queensland dam each day when the project launches. The recycled water will initially account for 10% of the region's water supply.

The American Water Works Association's Water Reuse Committee recently released the results of a survey of water reuse rates and charges. The survey was originally conducted in 2000 and updated in 2007. The survey covers topics such as rate structures, cost recovery, and program funding. To view the survey results, click here.

After a five year permitting process, a proposed 50 million gallons per day desalination plant in Carlsbad, CA has secured all approvals needed for the operation of the facility. The construction of the project is scheduled to begin during the first half of 2009 and the plant will be operational in 2011. Nine San Diego County agencies have signed agreements to purchase water from the new plant.

The California Section of the WateReuse Association joined forces with the Water Education Foundation to produce a 16-page booklet about recycled water for elementary students. Now, in its third year of availability, this popular educational tool has been ordered by water agencies and recycled water educators from across the nation.

Abstracts are due August 22 for Poster Presentations at the 2008 Water Reuse in Agriculture Conference to be held October 26-28 at the Monterey Plaza Hotel & Spa in Monterey, CA. For more information, click here.

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein unveiled a plan on July 11 for a $9.3 billion water bond that would include $250 million for water recycling projects.

Congresswoman Kay Granger (R-TX) will deliver the keynote address during the 23rd Annual WateReuse Symposium to be held September 7-10 at the Hilton Anatole in Dallas, TX. Congresswoman Granger, who represents the Forth Worth area in the Congress, is a member of the House Appropriations Committee and is well informed on water issues.