Water Reuse in Arizona
Water Reuse In Arizona
Joelle Wirth, RS Summit Environmental Flagstaff, AZ What is “one water”?
What does reuse mean? Main Drivers for reuse? Concepts
Regulatory changes
New technologies One Water is an integrated planning and implementation approach to managing finite One Water water resources for defined long-term resilience and reliability, meeting both community and ecosystem needs.
One Water
The concept is not new Our industry has kept drinking water and wastewater functions separate.
• Water reuse • Wastewater reuse • Water recycling
Generally mean the What is same thing! Reuse? Using treated wastewater for a beneficial purpose
Rainwater
Stormwater Sources Graywater of Reuse Wastewater
Industrial & Commercial
It’s All Water!
Drivers for Reuse
Planet dynamics
People Dynamics
Better Way Dynamics Planet Dynamics
Climate Prolonged change drought areas
Water scarcity
Drought Lake Powell Water Scarcity
People Dynamics
Population growth
Groundwater over pumping Costs for developing new water supplies
Unsustainable fixes Population Growth
Likely to Run Out of Water • São Paulo, Brazil • Beijing, China • Cairo, Egypt • Jakarta, Indonesia • Moscow, Russia • Istanbul, Turkey • Mexico City, Mexico • London, England • Tokyo, Japan • Miami, USA Groundwater Over Pumping
Groundwater Over Pumping Source: High Country News Groundwater Over Pumping
A fissure opened near a home in Chandler Heights, Arizona, after heavy summer rains in 2007. Todd C. Shipman/Arizona Geological Survey
Developing New Supplies Better Way Dynamics
Renewable resources
Sustain the supply
Increased individual & community buy in
Viticulture – Reclaimed Water Cottonwood, AZ
Yavapai College image
Freestone Park Gilbert AZ
Snowbowl Flagstaff AZ Serving up Recycled Water Water for use in the Food and Beverage Industry • Drivers for Water Reuse • How water is used
Opportunities for Potable Water Reuse
What About Water Reuse in Food Service
• Water Scarcity • Desire to decrease reliance on imported water supplies • Local recycled water goals and policies • Company sustainability goals and marketing • Costs: potential for saving associated with lower water Drivers for Water consumption and water reuse Reuse INDUSTRIAL PROCESSES
IRRIGATION Water Reuse in INDIRECT CONTACT WITH Food PRODUCT Service DIRECT CONTACT WITH PRODUCT IN PRODUCT Indirect Water Reuse
Example: Clean in place (CIP) Equipment rinse water, irrigation for food crops
• Limited installations • May be cost prohibitive on a small scale
Direct Contact
Example: poultry washing, potato washing • Handful of successful case studies • Difficult to define / approve Direct Addition into Product
Example: Water for brewing • No published large-scale installations • Dependent upon regulatory climate – Water source – State Regulations
Water Reuse Challenges High Risks – 1970 Chorea epidemic in salad vegetables (Jerusalem) – 2005-2006 Hepatitis A outbreak in strawberries and lettuce (USA) – 2000-2016 Cyclosporiasis outbreak in raspberries and basil (USA) Public Perception Toilet to Tap Importance of Monitoring
Regulatory Scramble
FDA
EPA USDA
FSIS
STATE ILSI AGENCY
WHO Regulatory Scramble
USDA FDA Meat & Poultry All other food Products Processors
Robust Inspection Inspections largely Process initiated by complaint
Reuse Water Quality Reuse water quality requirements recommendations
Identify Water Quality Requirements for intended use
Identify Source of Water or Path for treatment required to achieve Successful desired quality Water Regulatory approval and Risk Reuse Management Program
Implement Water Reuse System and monitor results The most common wastewater reuse nationwide is from a Centralized municipal wastewater Systems treatment facility
Combination Sewers
Centralized/Municipal
George Tchobanoglous “We never thought [conservation] was a bad thing. Every citizen thinks he or she is saving mankind, and I'm sympathetic, but it just so happens that our basic infrastructure was not designed with that in mind.
Reuse Possibilities • Onsite or decentralized WW systems – 25% of USA – One-third of new development • Centralized infrastructure is not always available and often too costly
Reuse Is No Stranger in Arizona
Arizona A+/A Reclaim Water
• Irrigation of food crops • Recreational impoundments • Residential/schoolyard irrigation • Toilet/urinal flushing • Fire protection systems • Snowmaking • And more…
Grand Canyon Village Arizona • 1926: 1st treatment plant in USA built to allow reuse (0.13 mgd capacity) • Toilet flushing • Boiler feed for power generation
Reclaimed Water Key Dates • 1972: 1st reclaimed water rules, ADHS • 2001: New ADEQ comprehensive rules
Grand Canyon Village Arizona • Still water-short today • Still using reclaimed water! • Landscape irrigation • Toilet/urinal flushing
Where we are today ADEQ 2018 Reuse Rule Revision? • Keep up with rapid advancements • More need for sustainable water supplies • Need to revise 2001 reclaimed water quality standards • Need to address potable reuse • Improve the regulatory framework
Wastewater
New rules affirm recycled water “as a resource by permitting its use through water recycling requirements as opposed to waste discharge requirements.
What is Not in the Rules Specific permits for reuse of reclaimed water by on-site wastewater systems
– Would require significant changes to permit rules – Individual Recycled Water Permit always available
What About Reuse from an Onsite Sewage System? Regulatory Framework? • Is not keeping up with technology • Risk model not in place to facilitate implementation
Practices to Support Reuse • Risk based standards • Ongoing monitoring • Mandatory reporting • Treatment system reliability • Operator competency
General Characteristics of Onsite WW Permitting in USA • Limited technology choices • Geared for soil absorption • Generally no certified operator or service contract required • No ongoing maintenance required • No reporting • No compliance inspection Blackwater Treatment and Reuse Current regulations are silent on the use of treated blackwater for flushing toilets and more…..
There is always the Individual Permit Process
Available Technologies • Available and ready for use • NSF 350 reuse standard – Plumbing codes adopted for inside facilities to flush toilets • Implementation restricted by outdated and prescriptive regulations National Blue Ribbon Commission
The US Water Alliance The Water Environment & Reuse Foundation, and The Water Research Foundation
63 Graywater Reuse • Allowed Indoor/ Outdoor Types of Graywater Treatment
Graywater System
NSF 350 – Graywater Treatment System
Why Not Onsite Reuse Systems? Aeration unit NSF 350 – Whole Dwelling Recirculating Media Filter
NSF 350 – Whole Dwelling Membrane Bioreactor
Whole Dwelling Membrane Bioreactor
Drip Irrigation
Tiny Homes
Tiny John
Tiny John Urine Diversion Toilets Incinerating Toilet
Mobile Restroom Incinerating Toilets
DIY Toilet Reinvented Toilets Reinvented Toilets
• Removes germs from human waste and recovers valuable resources such as energy, clean water, and nutrients. • Operates “off the grid” without connections to water, sewer, or electrical lines. • Costs less than US$.05 cents per user per day. • Promotes sustainable and financially profitable sanitation services and businesses that operate in poor, urban settings. • Is a truly aspirational next-generation product that everyone will want to use—in developed as well as developing nations.
Toilet technology
Challenges Surrounding Water Reuse
• Challenges for implementing recommendations • Public Perception • Lack of national regulations • Capital cost of reuse systems
Next Steps
Treatment performance criteria • Developed through stakeholder and committee process Microbial risk assessment matrix • Establishes minimum treatment levels • Source waters • End uses Questions?
Joelle Wirth, RS [email protected]