Calif. Greenies propose ‘Toilet-to-Tap’ to conserve water and protect fish.
Thirsty Enough to Drink Recycled Sewer Water? California May Soon Find Out
If you live in California, you might need to decide the answer to that question sooner rather than later.
The State Water Resources Control Board on Tuesday announced proposed regulations “that would allow for water systems to add wastewater that has been treated to levels meeting or exceeding all drinking water standards to their potable supplies.”
The board’s news release stated that this process, known as “direct potable reuse,” would not only provide a climate-resilient water source but also reduce the amount of wastewater released into rivers and the ocean.
“The process … will enable systems to generate a climate-resilient water source while reducing the amount of wastewater they release to rivers and the ocean,” the board’s news release said.
However, the media has coined a more colorful term for this process: “toilet to tap.”
While some have proposed alternative solutions, such as preserving rainwater in reservoirs and aqueducts, Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom sees “recycled water” as a key part of California’s water supply strategy. The goal is to reuse at least 800,000 acre-feet of water per year by 2030.
The History of “Toilet to Tap”
The term “toilet to tap” has been used for decades whenever drought conditions have prompted officials to consider recycling wastewater. The California Water Environment Association traced the history of this term in an article on its website.
Media outlets have seized on this catchy phrase, providing plenty of material for late-night talk show comedians.
Currently, California has wastewater recycling projects that use indirect potable reuse, which involves distributing treated wastewater over time through groundwater recharge or dilution with surface water.
The newly proposed toilet-to-tap system, however, would involve a much shorter turnaround time.
The announcement from the state water board states that direct potable reuse relies on immediate, multi-barrier treatment that can recycle wastewater to drinking water standards in a matter of hours.
According to the board, an expert panel of scientists and engineers has determined that the proposed regulations are protective of public health.
“[W]e have been careful and thorough to produce regulations that ensure, down to a chemical level, that water treated to these standards will be pure and wholesome,” said Darrin Polhemus, deputy director for the Division of Drinking Water.
The proposed regulations are open for public comment, and the board plans to consider adopting them before the end of the year.
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