California is pioneering a new approach to water conservation, taking significant steps toward addressing its persistent water scarcity challenges. On Tuesday, state regulators approved groundbreaking rules that will allow water agencies to recycle wastewater and directly channel it back into the drinking water supply for homes, schools, and businesses.
Background
This decision marks a critical milestone for California, a state that has long grappled with ensuring a stable and safe drinking water supply for its over 39 million residents. The approval represents a shift in public and governmental attitudes toward water recycling—a concept that just two decades ago faced significant opposition.
Changing Attitudes Amid Persistent Droughts
California’s journey toward embracing water recycling has been influenced by recurring severe droughts. The state has experienced multiple droughts over the past few decades, with the most recent one being the driest three-year period on record, according to scientists. This ongoing struggle has left reservoirs critically low, intensifying the need for innovative water solutions.
Expert Insight: "Water is incredibly precious in California. It’s essential that we maximize its use," said Jennifer West, managing director of WateReuse California, an organization dedicated to promoting recycled water.
Decades of Recycled Water Use
Recycling water is not a new concept in California. The state has been using treated wastewater for various non-potable purposes for decades. For example, the Ontario Reign minor league hockey team uses recycled water to create ice for their rink, while the Soda Springs Ski Resort near Lake Tahoe relies on it to produce snow. In the Central Valley, where a significant portion of the nation’s produce is grown, farmers use recycled water to irrigate their crops.
New Regulations and Their Implications
The newly approved rules in California will permit, though not mandate, water agencies to treat wastewater and reintroduce it directly into the drinking water supply. With this decision, California becomes the second state in the U.S., after Colorado, to adopt such measures.
The regulations are particularly stringent, requiring that the treated wastewater be purified to remove all pathogens and viruses, regardless of whether they are present. This goes beyond the usual standards for drinking water, which typically focus on eliminating known contaminants, explained Darrin Polhemus, deputy director of the division of drinking water for the California Water Resources Control Board.
The purification process is so thorough that it strips the water of all minerals that contribute to its taste, necessitating the reintroduction of these minerals before the water is delivered to consumers.
Cost and Implementation Challenges
Building the necessary facilities for such advanced water treatment is both costly and time-consuming. As a result, Polhemus noted that this option is likely to be viable only for larger, well-funded cities—at least initially. San Diego is one such city, with plans to implement a water recycling program that could supply nearly half of the city’s water needs by 2035.
Public Acceptance and Education
Public acceptance will be crucial for the success of these projects. The new rules require water agencies to inform their customers about the use of recycled water before implementation. In San Jose, local officials have opened the Silicon Valley Advanced Water Purification Center for public tours, aiming to educate residents about the highly advanced processes that ensure the water's purity.
Quote: "Living in California means dealing with droughts regularly, and climate change is only making this more challenging," said Kirsten Struve, assistant officer for the water supply division at the Santa Clara Valley Water District. "Recycled water is a drought-resistant resource that will be essential in meeting the future needs of our communities."
As California continues to face the realities of climate change and water scarcity, the state’s embrace of wastewater recycling represents a forward-thinking solution that could serve as a model for other regions grappling with similar challenges.