January 30, 2007
Aurora, CO to Increase Supply by 20% with Indirect Potable Reuse
A $754 million water reuse project will bring recycled water to the taps of residents in Aurora, CO by 2010, according to the Denver Post. Like many of the surrounding communities, Aurora relies on snowmelt to replenish its reservoirs. This new project will extract water from the South Platte River downstream from where water is discharged from the Denver Metro Wastewater Reclamation District plant. Once the water is pulled from the river, it will be treated in a 40-day, six-step process that will include sand and charcoal filtration, chemical treatment, and ultraviolet irradiation. The purified water will be blended with the mountain snowmelt and treated again before being delivered to customers. “This is the wave of the future,” said Glenn Bodnar of the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.
Early Registration Discounts for California Section Conference End February 9
The California Section of the WateReuse Association will hold its 2007 Annual Conference March 4-6 at the Wyndham Palm Springs Hotel in Palm Springs, CA. Early registration discounts are available until February 9. The theme is "Drought Proofing the Golden State—Sustainability in the Era of Climate Change." Presentations will include panel discussions, individual sessions, and workshops. For registration information, click here.
hittier Narrows Water Recycling Project Opens in Los Angeles
The Upper San Gabriel Valley Municipal Water District recently unveiled a new phase of its water recycling program—the Whittier Narrows Water Recycling Project in Los Angeles, CA. The project converted the irrigation supply for the Whittier Narrows Recreation Area to recycled water. The recreation area includes a large public park, soccer fields, baseball and softball fields, a skeet range and archery facility, as well as an 18-hole golf course.
The $9 million, two-year project involved the installation of about five miles of pipeline and the construction of a large pump station to meet the irrigation needs of the extensive turf and landscape at the site. In the future, the project will provide service to more school and park sites as well as an additional golf course. The ribbon cutting ceremony included a host of dignitaries and agency officials such as Congresswoman Grace Napolitano (pictured), who delivered the keynote address to the estimated 300 in attendance.
Four Firms Hired to Build Carlsbad, CA Desalination Plant
Poseidon Resources Corporation, the developer of a proposed seawater desalination plant in Carlsbad, CA, announced the selection of a four company team to build the plant, according to a January 26 news release. Poseidon has hired American Water, Pridesa America Corporation, PBS&J, and J.R. Filanc Construction to build the plant if it is approved. Poseidon has estimated that it will cost $270 million for construction of the plant and distribution pipes. Poseidon has received some permits for the 100 million gallon per day plant and has an application pending with the California Coastal Commission.
Indirect Potable Reuse Coming to New Mexico Town
New Mexico’s first indirect potable reuse system is scheduled to begin operating by September 2007, according to the Albuquerque Journal. A small southern New Mexico community, called Cloudcroft, has had to truck in water during dry summers to meet water demand. This $3 million project will add 100,000 gallons of water per day to the town’s supply. Officials say the reclaimed water will reach the quality of bottled water by the time it goes through the system, which will include a pass through a membrane bioreactor, chlorination, reverse osmosis, and ultraviolet disinfection. The reclaimed water will be blended with the spring and well water the community normally uses and be treated again before it reaches local taps.
Rivals Find Common Ground on Arizona Desalination Plant
After sitting idle for most of the 15 years that it has been in existence, a Bureau of Reclamation desalination plant in Yuma, AZ is scheduled to begin operating in March for a 90-day test thanks to rivals coming together to find a solution, according to the Arizona Republic. The initial goal of the plant was to treat water drained from fields and send it to the Colorado River to help reduce the increasing levels of salt. The $280 million facility operated for nine months in 1992 before being mothballed. Environmentalists have been opposed to restarting the desalter because the water that has flowed past it over the past decade and a half has helped revive a wetland that harbors some of the rarest species in the hemisphere, the article reported. The current solution began with a rafting trip where water managers, environmentalists, and journalists began discussing ideas that involved finding other water sources to reduce salt and nutrients in the Colorado River and still support the wetlands.
Desalination Plant Proposed Along New York’s Hudson River
United Water New York submitted plans to the New York Public Service Commission on January 16 to build a $79 million desalination plant that would allow customers to drink water from the Hudson River, the Journal News reported. The proposed project would begin operating by 2015 and provide up to 7.5 million gallons of water per day. United Water officials say that a desalination plant is more cost effective than its previous plan of building a reservoir to address long-term water supply needs. Some community activists have expressed concerns about pollutants in the water, energy costs, and impacts on the ecosystem.
Foundation Accepting Abstracts for Annual Research Conference
The WateReuse Foundation is accepting abstracts for technical presentations during the 11th Annual Water Reuse Research Conference to be held June 4-5 in El Paso, TX. Abstracts are due February 16. The Foundation’s Research Conference is dedicated to showcasing the latest results of “cutting-edge” research on water reuse and desalination. This conference typically showcases what will likely become the mainstream, accepted technologies in coming years.
Florida Community Considers Reclaimed Water Option
A northern Florida community has authorized a two-month, $19,000 study to explore the costs and demand for a new reclaimed water system, according to the Gainesville Sun. Newberry, FL currently uses reclaimed water in spray-field irrigation, but officials have decided to study piping reclaimed water to irrigate new housing developments, city buildings, schools, and businesses. The Suwannee River Water Management District has a grant that would cover up to 75% of the cost, which is projected to be about $5 million.
WateReuse Florida Launches New Website
WateReuse Florida, the newest state section of the WateReuse Association, has launched a new website to better serve Florida’s water reuse and desalination communities. WateReuse sections complement the national organization with their ability to focus on unique legislative, regulatory, and funding issues in a given state. To visit WateReuse Florida online, click here.
Foundation Seeks Innovative Research Ideas
The WateReuse Foundation is seeking preproposals for funding consideration under its 2007 Unsolicited Research Program. The Unsolicited Research Program promotes applied research through projects proposed by researchers. Unsolicited research projects typically address emerging issues and involve original concepts, novel techniques, and other scientific research needs. Preproposals are due by February 20, 2007.
Study: Recycled Drinking Water Quality Meets or Exceeds Traditional Sources
A review of recycled drinking water projects in the United States and Singapore by Australian researchers found no evidence of related health problems, according to the Courier Mail. The report by Stuart Khan and David Rosser, of the University of New South Wales, found recycled drinking water in the United States and Singapore to be of equal quality to that from traditional sources, and in some cases better. The study was commissioned by the Local Government Association of Queensland, where a referendum will be held March 17 to decide if the community will proceed with a proposed indirect potable reuse project.
A Case for Wider Adoption of Water Recycling in India
Faced with widespread water shortages, India will need to move toward water recycling in residential complexes, offices, malls, and factories to meet water supply needs argues one of the country’s leading water professionals in an interview recently published in the Indian Express. Sanjay Nayyar, Business Head of the Waste Water Technologies division of the Acme Group, says the growing shortage of water and the consequent pressure on ground water will make water recycling an important part of India’s future. Hotels, malls, and large apartment complexes operate their own wastewater treatment facilities under new Indian regulations. Nayyar says the government could further advance water recycling by offering incentives for new projects.
Recycled Water Important in Australia’s Future
Recycled water will play an increasingly important part in securing the reliability of Australia’s urban water supplies, according to a position paper recently released by the Water Services Association of Australia (WSAA). The paper, entitled “Refilling the Glass: Exploring the Issues Surrounding Water Recycling,” was released in Parliament House, Canberra in late November 2006 by the Parliament. Some of the key observations in the paper include the need to consider costs and benefits of recycled water options on a case-by-case basis, a projected growth in the use of recycled water, and discussion of the growing public acceptance of using recycled water for nondrinking purposes. The WSAA report also indicates that a greater impact could be made on consumption needs if recycled water is used to supplement drinking water supplies, but cautions that extensive discussions with the community will be required to ensure there is common understanding of the issues involved. To view the complete paper online, click here.