WE&RF Potable Reuse Study Recently Awarded 'Project Of The Year'

The Water Environment & Reuse Foundation (WE&RF), in partnership with CH2M, University of Arizona, and Tucson Water, was awarded “Project of the Year” for a potable reuse study at the WateReuse Arizona Water Reuse 2016 Symposium in Flagstaff, AZ.

The project “Potable Reuse for Inland Locations: Pilot Testing Results from a New Potable Reuse Treatment Scheme” (Reuse-13-09) examined alternative treatment schemes for inland communities where traditional reverse osmosis (RO)-based approaches would be costly and environmentally challenging. The six-month pilot consisted of multiple barriers for pathogens and organics including soil aquifer treatment (SAT), sidestream nanofiltration (NF), ozone, and granular activated carbon filtration.

The findings from this pilot study support the use of a non-RO treatment scheme that is effective, sustainable, and cost effective — important issues for utilities considering potable reuse projects to diversify and expand their water portfolio at inland locations. The findings are also of interest to states looking at permitting potable reuse facilities or developing guidelines that do not require RO treatment.

The final report for this project is available at www.werf.org.