Graywater irrigation systems save water and money

Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on February 27, 2010 at 8:02 am

From the Santa Cruz Sentinel:

“Though it seems like we are experiencing a fairly wet winter, do not be deceived. Water shortages in California are here to stay and the future portends increased water costs, and inevitably, periods of rationing. The reality is that water is going to become an increasingly precious commodity, and we all need to be thinking of ways to save it and use it more efficiently.

Enter the concept of graywater irrigation systems. Graywater is defined as all household wastewater except for that which is used in toilets. The amount of graywater that we use is considerable. With only a few modifications to your plumbing and a switch to biodegradable detergents and soaps, graywater can be safely used to water the plants in your garden.

Graywater systems of this type do not require a permit and are legal within the city and county of Santa Cruz.

Graywater systems not only decrease the burden on septic tanks $500 per pumping and leach fields, they also serve to slow the contamination of groundwater and aquifers. … “

Continue reading this story from the Santa Cruz Sentinel by clicking here.

February 27, 2010 · Filed Under Recycled Water

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Water: Don’t lose it, reuse it! says commentary

Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on February 13, 2010 at 7:08 am

From the Huffington Post:

“It’s hard for many to process the fact that although 70 percent of the Earth’s surface is covered by water, we can only access about one percent as potable fresh water.

As awareness of a potential water scarcity grows, so does the global effort to reuse water traditionally used for everyday functions like bathing, flushing, cooking and cleaning. Purple pipe reuse programs are well underway that vastly reduce demand on potable water by replacing it with treated wastewater from commercial and residential locations everywhere, contributing to an impressive reduction of wastewater discharge into bodies of water and the subsequent environmental impact of pollutants.

Put another way, you wouldn’t grab another clean glass out of kitchen cabinet every time you wanted to take a sip of a cold beverage; you would simply wash out that glass and use again thereby saving your other glasses for another time. … “

February 13, 2010 · Filed Under Recycled Water

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Mayor Sanders lowers his guard against San Diego’s indirect potable reuse study

Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on February 12, 2010 at 7:22 am

From GrokSurf’s San Diego:

“In 2007 Mayor Sanders vetoed the city council’s plan to conduct a feasibility study for indirect potable reuse (advanced purification of wastewater to potable standards). The city council overrode his veto, however, and project planning went forward. That project is now entering its Phase 2 stage.

Meanwhile in 2010, during an interview with the Voice of San Diego on Feb. 9, the mayor said he now supports the project. The San Diego County Taxpayer’s Association (SDCTA) posted this reaction … “

Continue reading this post from GrokSurf’s San Diego by clicking here.

February 12, 2010 · Filed Under Recycled Water, San Diego

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Gray water’s grass roots: In a grass-roots effort, a Los Angeles community pushes the plant-saving practice of reusing water from showers, baths, sinks, and washers

Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on January 27, 2010 at 8:33 am

From the Christian Science Monitor:

“If water is the next battleground for a globe facing dwindling water resources, then this 1960s-style community center at the northern end of Los Angeles’s Koreatown is at the forefront of the fight.

On this day, Laura Allen, cofounder of Greywater Action, a group that encourages conserving and reusing household water, is in her fourth of a five-day workshop teaching Californians how to reclaim and recycle what has been dubbed “gray water.” Typically, gray water includes the discharge from washing machines, sinks, showers, and tubs, which is then used to provide moisture for outdoor plants, from backyard rosebushes to large orchards.

While progress has been made – many institutions, corporations, and municipalities around the world use gray water – activists say there’s still a long way to go. And it’s groups such as Greywater Action that are helping to drive change.

“Grass-roots efforts – seeing an issue and trying to do something by acting individually and being responsible stewards – are very important,” says Kathy Robb, founder and director of the Water Policy Institute in New York. … “

January 27, 2010 · Filed Under Recycled Water

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Water recycling for San Diego: Coalition has hand in water plan OK; Council advances recycling project

Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on January 27, 2010 at 7:37 am

From the San Diego Union Tribune:

“An unusually diverse coalition of community groups last night helped persuade the San Diego City Council to keep moving ahead on a landmark water recycling plan.

Environmentalists, labor leaders, business officials, taxpayer advocates, building managers and engineering professionals lent their combined support to an $11.8 million pilot project to turn wastewater into drinking water.

“Early on, someone suggested that we call ourselves the Unprecedented Coalition because of the diverse membership,” said Lani Lutar, head of the San Diego County Taxpayers Association and a member of the Indirect Potable Reuse Coalition.

The alliance officially formed last summer when Lutar was talking with Bruce Reznik at San Diego Coastkeeper about how to swing council votes and public opinion on what has been a touchy subject. It now boasts 13 member organizations, including high-profile groups such as the Surfrider Foundation and the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce. … “

The GrokSurf San Diego blog has commentary and more links to resources – click here.

January 27, 2010 · Filed Under Recycled Water

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Delay of tank project should make recycled water line pay for itself

Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on January 26, 2010 at 6:05 am

From the Whittier Daily News:

“The first phase of a proposed 12-mile recycled-water line should pay for itself with Monday’s vote by a regional water board to delay construction of an $8 million water tank and impose a rate surcharge sooner than planned, district officials said.

The 5-0 vote by the Central Basin Municipal Water District board means the five- mile first phase from Pico Rivera to Bicknell Park in Montebello should show a $6 million positive cash flow, General Manager Art Aguilar said.

Without these decisions, the first phase of the project was expected to be nearly

$17 million in the red, according to district documents.

“We’ve brought the cost of this project way down,” said director Phil Hawkins, adding that water utilities will pay less because of the board’s action. … “

January 26, 2010 · Filed Under Recycled Water

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Central Basin water district general manager proposes to cut costs for recycled water line

Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on January 23, 2010 at 6:27 am

From the Whittier Daily News:

“COMMERCE – The general manager of a regional water district Thursday proposed cutting costs on a proposed recycled water line from Pico Rivera to Vernon but also impose a surcharge three years earlier than planned.

Both moves – along with a pledge for better communication – may bring peace between the warring water agencies.

“It was a positive step forward,” said Don Jensen, Santa Fe Springs public works director, following a 2 1/2 hour meeting at the Central Basin Municipal Water District office.

“They made a number of concessions,” Jensen said. “We still need to review the financial model.” … “

January 23, 2010 · Filed Under Recycled Water

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More recycled water may flow in Glendale: Draft plan would double number of pipes, but council questions how to fund project

Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on January 21, 2010 at 2:07 pm

From the Glendale News Press:

“Glendale Water & Power officials may study ways to ease the burden on private customers who want recycled-water connections, an idea the City Council endorsed earlier this week.

Under the utility’s draft plan, the city’s recycled-water pipeline would be doubled to accommodate 36 additional users, including Glendale Memorial Hospital, the Walt Disney Co. campus, and local parks and schools.

Utility officials said increasing the city’s use of recycled water — which cannot be used for human or animal consumption, but can be for things like cleaning and irrigation — would increase reliability and decrease dependence on expensive imports from the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, which supplies up to 70% of the city’s water.

While Glendale Water & Power has 21 miles of recycled-water pipeline, the utility uses less than half of its allotment of recycled water from the treatment plant, with the rest of it disposed of in the Los Angeles River, officials said. … “

January 21, 2010 · Filed Under Recycled Water, Southern California

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Wastewater-to-crops idea bubbling up in Modesto

Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on January 19, 2010 at 6:34 am

From the Hanford Sentinel:

“With the drought in full swing, all kinds of ideas are afloat to make additional water available to agriculture — including sending treated wastewater from urban residents to plants in the field.

Think of the residents of a home sending their washing machine water to the backyard garden, but blow it up on a massive scale. That gives some idea of the possibilities of using treated wastewater to grow a variety of agricultural commodities.

Last week the Modesto City Council voted unanimously to move forward with a plan to send its wastewater to drought-stricken Westside farmers.

The concept isn’t unprecedented. Hanford has a reclamation agreement with Lakeside Irrigation Water District to take the city’s wastewater and distribute it to farmland southeast of town. Crops like cotton that aren’t consumed by humans soak up the treated water — 3,300 acre-feet of it a year, according to Lou Camara, Hanford public works director. … “

January 19, 2010 · Filed Under Recycled Water, San Joaquin Valley

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Glendale Water & Power has the infrastructure in place for recycled water; now it needs the money

Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on January 19, 2010 at 6:31 am

From the Glendale News Press:

“Glendale Water & Power officials say expanding the city’s use of recycled water is an essential part of weaning the city off expensive imported water, but finding the proposed $25 million to pay for the expansion will be a tall order.

Utility officials will present the plan to the City Council on Tuesday to seek direction on how to fund the program. A key component of the utility’s efforts to meet state water conservation mandates by 2020, the plan was drafted to decrease dependence on water imported from the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, which supplies up to 70% of the city’s water.

“The plan is in place,” said General Manager Glenn Steiger. “The real issue is, how does it get paid for.”

Under the utility’s draft plan, the city’s 21 miles of pipeline would be doubled to accommodate 36 additional users, including Glendale Memorial Hospital, the Walt Disney Co. campus, and local parks and schools. … “

January 19, 2010 · Filed Under Recycled Water

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Progress noted on recycled water project; Area agencies air concerns during two-hour meeting

Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on January 10, 2010 at 7:32 am

From the Whittier Daily News:

“SANTA FE SPRINGS – Officials from opposing sides of a proposed recycled wastewater line failed to reach an agreement in a meeting lasting more than two hours Saturday, but said that progress was made.

The issue is over a $100 million, 12-mile-long recycled water line that Central Basin Municipal Water District wants to build from Pico Rivera to Vernon.

District officials say the line is critical to mitigate drought problems by lessening the need for drinking water.

But the district’s critics – a group of water utilities including cities, companies and special districts – say they are concerned their customers will end up paying for the line because Central Basin won’t be able to sell enough recycled water to make it profitable. … “

January 10, 2010 · Filed Under Recycled Water

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Recycled water use part of city’s future plans

Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on December 28, 2009 at 6:06 am

From the Manteca Bulletin:

“Sometime in the next 20 years recycled wastewater will play a key role in Manteca’s municipal water conservation effort.

Lines are already in place to use treated wastewater – currently returned to almost drinking standards to the San Joaquin River near Oakwood Lake Mobile Home Park – to handle irrigation needs at the Big League Dreams sports complex and the Stadium Retail Center. Recycled water will even run through the fountain that, depending upon wind conditions, shoots up 30 feet along the Highway 120 Bypass. All that is needed is final clearance from the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board.

The city’s intentions of using wastewater for irrigation are included in both the City Wastewater Quality Control Master Plan Update of 2005 as well as in the 2005 Urban Water Management Plan. … “

December 28, 2009 · Filed Under Recycled Water

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Recycling water: Using nature’s tools

Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on December 26, 2009 at 7:04 am

From the Irvine Water District:

“Learn how water recycling works at Irvine Ranch Water District’s Michelson Water Recycling Plant in Irvine, California:”

December 26, 2009 · Filed Under Recycled Water

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Pharmaceuticals a problem for nanofiltration wastewater reuse, says paper

Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on December 22, 2009 at 7:35 am

From Desalination & Water Reuse:

“Even nanofiltration (NF) plus ultraviolet (UV) disinfection is not enough to be sure of removing some persistent pharmaceuticals from wastewater, a study in Sweden has found.

In a paper, Nanofiltration and ozonation for potable water reuse: a pilot study of pharmaceutical removal, presented at the Universitas 21 International Graduate Research Conference: Sustainable Cities for the Future in Melbourne and Brisbane, Australia (29 November – 5 December 2009), Lena Flyborg of Lund University stated, “From a sustainable outlook, persistent substances should be removed from the environment and the water cycle.”

Flyborg was studying wastewater reuse and looked at a volume reduction factor (VRF) of 60, which she said, would provide a reasonable volume of retentate and a large quantity of advanced treated wastewater for reuse purposes. … “

December 22, 2009 · Filed Under Recycled Water

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Blog commentary: Water reuse is imperative for a sustainable San Diego

Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on December 14, 2009 at 6:19 am

From GrokSurf’s San Diego blog:

“Whether you believe global warming contributes to drought or that when the drought is over our problems will go away, the fact is that water scarcity is not a temporary condition in Southern California. For one thing, our access to Colorado River water is decreasing. But California’s take of Colorado River water is not dropping because of drought or politics. Yes, there is growth and development everywhere and western states are taking more water from the Colorado River than ever, but the reason for our reduction is that we have to stop taking more than we are legally entitled to.

For years California withdrew more than its legal allotment of Colorado River water by as much as 800,000 acre feet per year. This was permitted because other states, primarily Arizona and Nevada, were not taking the full amount they are legally entitled to. But as those states increasingly began taking their share, California was forced to begin making adjustments to live within its means and move to comply with its legal allocation of 4.4 million acre feet per year. So, too, San Diego is adjusting to a reduction in water deliveries from the Colorado River that will be permanent, in addition to the latest cutbacks from Northern California. Plus, even when the Colorado River flows at “normal” levels — a rate which is increasingly uncertain — it may not produce enough water to permit everybody to take their full share, especially when you consider that the allotments were based on unrealistically high flow rate projections. … “

December 14, 2009 · Filed Under Recycled Water

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Local water agencies hope to get their hands on sewer water

Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on December 13, 2009 at 8:22 am

From the Whittier Daily News:

“From the Owens Valley in the 1900s to Mono Lake in the 1980s to the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta today, the fight over water is nothing new in California. But the latest brewing battle has taken a different, less scenic, twist: water agencies are clamoring to get their share of sewer water.

“It is a finite source, and not everybody will be able to get what they want,” said Earle Hartling, water recycling coordinator for Sanitation Districts of Los Angeles County.

The problem stems from Sanitation Districts promises to deliver 45,000 acre-feet of recycled water from its San Jose creek facility when less than 40,000 acre-feet of that water will be available in coming years.

And this has the Central Basin Municipal Water District worried. “If we are all trying to get to it, that’s good news – we are all looking for ways to reduce our dependence on imported water,” Central Basin General Manager Art Aguilar said.

But, he added, water officials “have a lot of questions and concerns.” … “

December 13, 2009 · Filed Under Recycled Water

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In Marin County, a public fight over private control of sewage

Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on December 4, 2009 at 7:44 am

From the New York Times:

” Pam Welsh was a retired risk management analyst immersed in her family’s life when she learned this year that her Marin County bedroom community was considering a contract to have the world’s largest water company operate the local sewage plant.

Mrs. Welsh, 59, soon became a woman obsessed. She was certain the proposal would mean higher rates and poorer service for those under the jurisdiction of the Novato Sanitary District as the company, Veolia Water North America, sought to increase profits.

Her campaign, which included a petition drive, was met with a strong counterattack by the Novato Sanitary District board and others who prefer private-sector management. It is a timely subject of debate in the Bay Area, where communities have been wrestling with the broader question of whether private-public partnerships in municipal services make financial and environmental sense during tough economic times. … “

December 4, 2009 · Filed Under Recycled Water

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Graywater: A potential source of water

Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on December 1, 2009 at 6:24 am

From the UCLA Institute of the Environment:

“California is facing a serious drought that prompted Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to declare “This drought is having a devastating impact on our people, our communities, our economy and our environment. … This is a crisis, just as severe as an earthquake or raging wildfire, and we must treat it with the same urgency by upgrading California’s water infrastructure to ensure a clean and reliable water supply for our growing state.”

After three years of dry weather, and with forecasts of precipitation and snowpack below normal levels, California is preparing for the likelihood that 2010 will be a fourth year of drought [1, 2] with the State’s key water reservoirs projected to be at only about 70% of their average storage. Unless precipitation leads to significant restoration of the State water supply and demand is reduced, the situation in California will become unsustainable.

WATER USE IN CALIFORNIA

The California Department of Water Resources has pursued a multifaceted approach to address the severe water shortage in California, with water conservation as a key element of its plan. Among its various elements, the approach considers reduction in water use efficiency and conservation, as well as the reclamation and reuse of municipal, industrial and agricultural wastewater streams. Various California local governments have already implemented and/or are encouraging water conservation measures, including water rationing and water reuse. … “

Read the rest of this article by clicking here.

December 1, 2009 · Filed Under Recycled Water

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Glendale Public Works Dept. eyes ‘green’ water: Recycled water to be used for street sweeping & sewer flushing

Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on December 1, 2009 at 5:56 am

From the Glendale News Press:

“The city’s Public Works Department is moving to use recycled water for street sweeping, sewer flushing and car washing at its maintenance yard — a change that could save using 2.5 million gallons of potable water each year.

The City Council last week approved the installation of two hydrants at the south Glendale Public Works yard, which will be connected to a new recycled water line serving the property.

The project, a joint effort of Glendale Water & Power and Public Works, came about when city officials brainstormed ways to have the most efficient use of recycled water for maintenance operations, said Public Works Director Steve Zurn.

“It makes perfect sense, considering the potable water that is available for everyone’s tap, that is very high quality water,” said Glendale Water & Power Assistant General Manager Peter Kavounas. “It seems a shame to use it to wash down the street.” … “

December 1, 2009 · Filed Under Recycled Water

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Central Basin Municipal Water District agrees to issue $45 million in bonds for recycled water line

Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on November 26, 2009 at 12:16 pm

From the Whittier Daily News:

“A regional water board Wednesday agreed to issue $45 million in bonds that will help pay for a 12-mile recycled water line from Pico Rivera to Vernon.

The unanimous vote from the Central Basin Municipal Water District board came as officials from several water utilities asked for a postponement until a 10 a.m. Monday meeting is held among them, the district and state Sens. Ron Calderon, D-Montebello, and Curren Price, D-Los Angeles.

Local water officials say they fear their utilities will be forced to bear the cost of the bond and want more information.

It’s unclear how much more people in Pico Rivera, Santa Fe Springs, La Habra Heights, La Habra, La Mirada, Norwalk, Montebello and Whittier will have to pay to service the bond. … “

November 26, 2009 · Filed Under Recycled Water

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Purple pipes bring more recycled sewage water to Rosemead

Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on November 17, 2009 at 7:51 am

From the Whittier Daily News:

“Students at Eldridge Rice Elementary School will soon learn a valuable lesson about water conservation when they look out at the green grass and trees that surround the school. The school’s yard will be nourished by recycled sewage water treated to high levels that make it safe for human contact, but not considered drinkable.

The grounds around Southern California Edison and the Panda Express headquarters will also be the recipient of the latest expansion of the Upper San Gabriel Valley Municipal Water District’s recycling program.

The expansion, expected to be completed by early next year, will save enough potable water to supply about 1,200 homes for a year.

It comes as water officials across the state are taking steps to become less dependent on water imported from the north and east, increasingly unreliable sources. …”

Read more from the Whittier Daily News by clicking here.

November 17, 2009 · Filed Under Recycled Water

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Riverside’s plan to use recycled water on orange groves is on hold

Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on November 9, 2009 at 6:37 am

From Riverside’s Press Enterprise:

“Concerns about Riverside’s iconic citrus groves have sidetracked the city’s plan to bolster drinking-water supplies by irrigating the trees with treated wastewater.

At least one grower along with UC Riverside researchers are concerned that boron, an element used in bleach and detergents and prevalent in wastewater, will accumulate in the soil and damage the trees.

The city had planned to divert fresh water from the century-old Gage and Riverside canals and replace it with the recycled wastewater from the city’s sewage treatment plant. Both canals currently carry water from underground basins in the San Bernardino Valley.

The city is moving ahead with plans to build a large-diameter pipeline to move wastewater uphill from the treatment plant near the Santa Ana River. The recycled water would flow through a network of pipes to school fields, parks, medians, cemeteries and other landscaped areas, freeing millions of gallons of fresh water for homes and business, Riverside Utility Director David Wright said in an interview. … “

Read more from the Press-Enterprise by clicking here.

November 9, 2009 · Filed Under Recycled Water

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A Victory for the ‘Water Underground’: Bone-dry California eases restrictions on greywater use, allowing wastewater from washing machines and bathtubs to spill onto the state’s lawns and lemon trees

Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on October 14, 2009 at 8:16 am

From Miller-McCune:

“Plagued by drought and homeowner recalcitrance, California building officials last summer relaxed the rules for greywater use, allowing residents to hook up their washing machines to garden hoses without a permit … because they were doing it anyway.

On Aug. 4, the California Building Standards Commission effectively caught up with an eco-revolution that began here 20 years ago during the last drought. In 1989, the County of Santa Barbara became the first agency in the United States to change its building codes and legalize the use of household greywater — the slightly dirty wastewater from washing machines, bathtubs, showers and bathroom sinks — to irrigate backyard plants and trees. By 1992, the practice was legal in most western states, including California.

There was just one problem. Homeowners were installing greywater systems themselves without permits, or they hired plumbers who looked the other way. Over 20 years in Santa Barbara, city officials say, only four residents ever obtained greywater permits, much less paid the fees, set at $350 today. Meanwhile, hundreds, if not thousands, embraced do-it-yourself “laundry-to-landscape” diversions, bought biodegradable soap, connected their washers to outside tubes — if you actually hook it up to garden hose you can expect a burnt-out pump before long — and emptied buckets of bath water in their yards. …”

Read more of this story from Miller McCune by clicking here.

October 14, 2009 · Filed Under Recycled Water

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To have enough water, reuse more of it, says commentary

Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on October 11, 2009 at 8:24 am

From the Ventura County Star, this commentary by Frank Royer, general manager of the Camrosa Water District:

“There is little doubt the current water shortage has developed into one of the top issues of political, agricultural and residential concern. California went from a June 2008 “declaration of drought” to a February 2009 “drought emergency,” when the governor urged each of us to cut water use by 20 percent.

As the crisis continues, the result has been mandated water restrictions in many parts of Ventura County that have changed the way we live. While conservation efforts are essential, they alone will not solve the crisis.

With the cost of imported water rising faster than most had anticipated, many local water agencies and cities — already under reduced imported-water allocations — are getting less supply at a higher cost. Most providers will have no choice but to pass the costs along to their customers. …”

Read more of this commentary by clicking here.

October 11, 2009 · Filed Under Recycled Water

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City wants to water improved parks with recycled water

Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on September 20, 2009 at 7:47 am

From the San Bernardino Sun:

“PICO RIVERA – The city’s parks are facing a major overhaul and water irrigation systems will be part of the renovations, officials said.

The city’s largest parks, including Smith, Rivera and Pio Pico, will all be upgraded as part of a larger scheme to improve city roads and public spaces.

In addition, city officials are pushing to use more recycled water to water lawns and landscaping on municipal property in light of an ongoing regional water crisis.

“We’re going to be proactive,” said City Councilman Ron Beilke. “It will be a huge cost-saver and also good for conserving potable water.” …”

Read more from the San Bernardino Sun by clicking here.

September 20, 2009 · Filed Under Recycled Water

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State revises standards for reusing wastewater

Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on September 18, 2009 at 6:43 am

From the San Francisco Chronicle:

“Pam Hartwell-Herrero is making sure she washes her family’s clothes when the olive tree, rhubarb and coffee berries in her front yard look thirsty.

Why?

Hartwell-Herrero and a team of fellow water conservation enthusiasts recently installed a “laundry to landscape” graywater system at her 1960s Fairfax bungalow. It took most of a day to attach a special valve, punch a hole in her garage wall and set up the pipes leading from her washing machine to the garden.

But now, every time Hartwell-Herrero fires up a load of whites, the plants perk up.

“It’s hilarious,” said Hartwell-Herrero, 40, executive director of Sustainable Fairfax. “With every load we run, my husband, daughter and I run outside to see the water going into the garden.”

The idea of reusing graywater – defined in California as the wastewater from showers, bathroom sinks and washing machines – isn’t a novel one. But last month, California followed Arizona, Texas and other states in adopting new graywater standards. Officials with the state Department of Housing and Community Development, which oversees graywater, changed the state code in the wake of recent legislation calling for a re-evaluation of graywater use and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s June proclamation of a statewide drought. …”

Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle by clicking here.

September 18, 2009 · Filed Under Recycled Water

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West Basin Municipal Water District has become the most unique water district in the world in variety and uses of recycled wastewater

Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on September 17, 2009 at 7:57 am

From West Basin Municipal Water District via Businesswire:

“West Basin Municipal Water District (West Basin) has developed one of the most unique water recycling systems in the world. West Basin makes five types of “designer” recycled waters that serve various needs from irrigation to refinery cooling towers, street cleaners to indirect drinking water.

West Basin’s five “designer” recycled waters include ultrapure water for high pressure boiler feeds, purified water for low pressure boiler feeds, cooling tower water, irrigation water, and indirect potable drinking water for seawater barriers that protect coastal L.A. groundwater from saltwater contamination. Barrier water also replenishes groundwater wells. No other water agency in the world has such a unique and diverse array of sewer water for recycled water uses. Engineers, elected officials and others visit from around the world to learn about West Basin’s sewer water recycling efforts that are creating new, much-needed water supplies.

West Basin launched its water recycling program in the mid-1990’s following a statewide drought. To promote local water reliability, West Basin has invested more than $500 million dollars in this unique program. West Basin has also invested in an ocean-water desalination program that uses the same technology – microfiltration and reverse osmosis.

The water recycling program provides environmental benefits in that 30 million (and eventually 70 million) gallons a day of sewer water and five tons of biosolids (eventually 10 tons) are no longer discharged each day into Santa Monica Bay. Each day, that amount of wastewater is redirected to West Basin’s water recycling facility for treatment and reuse. The biosolids are recycled daily into landfill covers and roadbed fill. West Basin’s solar panels contribute 10% of peak energy use for recycled water production.

West Basin’s recycling program serves parks, golf courses, office buildings, and others, recently producing its 100 billionth gallon of recycled water, and works with more than 300 customers, from Chevron, Exxon-Mobil, bp, Toyota, and Honda, to the Home Depot Center, Marriott and others. 100 billion gallons is enough water for 2.5 million people for an entire year.

Recycled water production is part of West Basin’s Water Reliability 2020 program to provide greater water reliability and help Metropolitan Water District of Southern California both meet Southern California’s future water needs and ease some of the strain on Northern California’s Sacramento-San Joaquin Bay Delta. “

September 17, 2009 · Filed Under Recycled Water

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Historic recycled water project will aid Fontana

Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on September 13, 2009 at 6:21 am

From the Fontana Herald:

“With help from federal stimulus funding, a major new water recycling program will provide environmental benefits and will help Fontana and other area cities save money.

The Inland Empire Utilities Agency (IEUA) and the Cucamonga Valley Water District (CVWD) held a groundbreaking ceremony on Sept. 3 for the Inland Empire Regional Recycled Water Program’s North East Area Project.

The Regional Recycled Water Program is an award winning set of projects designed to help reduce the local need for expensive imported water and safeguard the region from future droughts.

“This is a historic project for our partnership between the IEUA and the City of Fontana,” said Angel Santiago, an IEUA director representing Fontana. “Water is becoming increasingly more expensive to provide, and so for the City of Fontana, using recycled water instead of potable water will save the city a tremendous amount of money that the city can use to provide vital services in the community.” …”

Read more from the Fontana Herald by clicking here.

September 13, 2009 · Filed Under Recycled Water

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Purple pipes could be solution to delivering San Gabriel Valley’s water

Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on September 7, 2009 at 7:33 am

From the Pasadena Star News:

“Residents have for years heard about local proposals to turn raw sewage into safe drinking water. Now, as state lawmakers contemplate spending billions of dollars on a comprehensive fix to California’s perpetual water crisis, local water officials are hoping a few million dollars will come their way for the much-anticipated water-recycling project.

And they are estimating that the project could be complete in five years.

Many in the San Gabriel Valley are familiar with the purple pipes that bring recycled water to sports fields and golf courses.

The proposed project – known as the Groundwater Reliability Improvement Program (GRIP) – would take treatment to the next level: reverse osmosis, similar to what is done in Orange County. …”

Read more from the Pasadena Star News by clicking here.

September 7, 2009 · Filed Under Recycled Water

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New manual helps communities develop water supplies

Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on September 3, 2009 at 7:45 am

From Water Online:

“The WateReuse Association announces the release of an indispensible new publication designed to help communities address the need for a sustainable, drought-proof water supply, while protecting public health and the environment. The Manual of Practice on How to Develop a Water Reuse Program provides a standardized planning approach for communities to develop and analyze new water reuse projects.

Using a concise, easy-to-understand format, this manual provides a step-by-step approach for planning a successful project. Each step of the process from design and construction to developing a financing plan and conducting public outreach is outlined in vivid detail that will help the reader avoid any missteps. With the benefit of this publication, communities can develop better planned projects—which draw from the lessons learned from established programs—and achieve greater public acceptance, successful implementation, and fulfillment of project objectives. …”

Read more from Water Online by clicking here.

September 3, 2009 · Filed Under Recycled Water

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From Sewage to Artichokes: Wastewater recycling and other water-efficiency programs are saving aquifers and helping a famed produce industry thrive

Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on August 25, 2009 at 6:47 am

From Miller-McCune:

“With a blue plaid button-up shirt tucked in his jeans and a pair of ballpoint pens protruding from his front pocket, Chris Drew doesn’t look much like a farmer until he puts on a pair of dirt-caked, orange leather gloves and begins trouncing through rows of 3-foot-tall artichoke plants. “Do you like big ones or small ones?” Drew, a production manager for Sea Mist Farms, shouts through a light mist. “Doesn’t matter,” I call back to him, wriggling my black patent-leather heels from a suction cup of thick mud. “But the bigger the stem, the better. That’s the best part.”

Forging a path through thistle jungle, Drew retrieves a knife from his belt and slices two artichoke heads from their stems. “Watch the spines,” he says, carefully placing them in my hands.

The acres of fruit and vegetable fields Drew oversees don’t look much different than the average commercial agriculture area. Plots of artichokes commingle with rows of immature lettuce. Nearby, sprinklers rhythmically pulsate above freshly tilled ground; in the distance, white plastic carefully protects strawberry plants from the underlying dirt. But the fields around Castroville, Calif. — in all, nearly 12,000 acres of commercial cropland separating the Salinas Valley from Monterey Bay — are different from most other agricultural areas in one important way: They are irrigated with water recycled from urban sewage. …”

Read more from Miller-McCune by clicking here.

August 25, 2009 · Filed Under Recycled Water

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Real drought relief: State gives green light to graywater

Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on August 23, 2009 at 10:55 am

From the California Progress Report, this post by Traci Sheehan, Executive Director of the Planning and Conservation League:

“Responding to the increasing pressures on our state’s water supplies, last month the California Building Standards Commission (CBSC) approved new standards that facilitate the use of graywater in homes and voted to make the standards effective on August 4th, 2009 rather than waiting until 2011.

The new standards will make it much easier to reuse water from bathtubs, showers, sinks, and washing machines for outdoor irrigation while protecting local water quality and public health.

Senator Alan Lowenthal’s successful 2008 legislation launched this revision of the graywater standards.

Landscape designer Bernadette Balics applauds the move. “My clients have always been interested in using graywater systems for irrigation, but were wary about negotiating the permitting uncertainties. The new standards make it easier for homeowners to reuse their graywater simply, safely, and legally.” …”

Read more from Traci Sheehan, including commentary on proposed CEQA changes, by clicking here.

August 23, 2009 · Filed Under Recycled Water

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Water use flows into ‘gray’ area

Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on August 22, 2009 at 9:24 am

From the Santa Clarita Signal:

“While a controversial method for recycling water was approved this month for use by Californians, Santa Clarita Valley water officials said Friday they’re concerned the graywater could hurt local groundwater supplies.

“We want to make sure whatever is implemented isn’t detrimental to our groundwater supply,” Dan Masnada, general manager of the Castaic Lake Water Agency, said of re-using graywater — untreated waste water from homes. “Unlike industrial water recycling, this is done in people’s homes,” he said. “The water is not treated or disinfected.”

The state Building Standards Commission approved the use of graywater beginning this month. …”

Read more from the Santa Clarita Signal by clicking here.

August 22, 2009 · Filed Under Recycled Water

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New state standards open floodgates for graywater use

Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on August 6, 2009 at 7:06 am

From Noozhawk:

“The California Building Standards Commission’s new graywater standards took effect Tuesday, thanks in part to the ongoing efforts of Santa Barbara resident and graywater expert Art Ludwig.

On Tuesday, dozens of people crowded into the Faulkner Gallery at the Santa Barbara Public Library to learn about the new standards and participate in a city-sponsored workshop led by Ludwig.

Graywater is the wastewater produced from washing machines, showers and sinks, and its use for irrigation or other purposes has long been an interest of Santa Barbara residents. The city was the first in the country to legalize its use in 1989, and has been working with Ludwig for decades, water conservation coordinator Alison Jordan said to Tuesday’s full house. …”

Read more from Noozhawk by clicking here.

August 6, 2009 · Filed Under Recycled Water

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San Jose, Santa Clara look to recycled wastewater for future supplies

Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on August 5, 2009 at 7:34 am

From the Silicon Valley/San Jose Business Journal:

“Drop by drop, recycled wastewater is on its way to becoming a source of water for thirsty Silicon Valley homes and businesses.

By the end of the summer, the Santa Clara Valley Water District and the cities of San Jose and Santa Clara are expected to sign off on an agreement to build a $55 million pilot project, already three years in the planning, that will treat recycled water so it can be used as drinking water.

Whether it actually becomes part of the drinking supply is still open to debate. But if the agreement is approved, construction could start on the pilot plant, located next to the treatment plant in Alviso, in 2011. …”

Read more from the Silicon Valley/San Jose Business Journal by clicking here.

August 5, 2009 · Filed Under Recycled Water

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