Direct Potable Reuse:
Sustainable Water for the Future
SFPUC Annual Workshop
November 12, 2015
Promotes responsible
stewardship of California's
water resources by maximizing
the safe, practical and
beneficial use of recycled water
and by supporting the efforts of
the of WateReuse Association.
2016 DPR Report to the Legislature
• Water Code 13563. (a) (1) The department
shall investigate and report to the Legislature on
the feasibility of developing uniform water
recycling criteria for direct potable reuse.
• DDW has permitting authority now for DPR
projects.
What’s in a Name
SB 918 (Pavley 2010) Defined Key Potable
Reuse Terms
• But DPR definition for regulatory purposes
may depend on outcome SWA regulations.
Section 13561 of the Water Code
§13561. For purposes of this chapter, the following terms have the following
meanings:
a. "Department" means the State Department of Public Health.
b. "Direct potable reuse" means the planned introduction of recycled water
either directly into a public water system, as defined in Section 116275 of
the Health and Safety Code, or into a raw water supply immediately
upstream of a water treatment plant.
c. "Indirect potable reuse for groundwater recharge" means the planned use
of recycled water for replenishment of a groundwater basin or an aquifer
that has been designated as a source of water supply for a public water
system, as defined in Section 116275 of the Health and Safety Code.
d. "Surface water augmentation" means the planned placement of recycled
water into a surface water reservoir used as a source of domestic drinking
water supply.
e. "Uniform water recycling criteria" has the same meaning as in Section
13521.
5
Myth: There is only one DPR
DPR Lite
Full
Advanced
Treatment
Small
Reservoir
Potable Water
Treatment
Plant
Water
Consumers
Myth: There is only one DPR
DPR Lite
Full
Advanced
Treatment
Small
Reservoir
Potable Water
Treatment
Plant
Water
Consumers
Potable Water
Treatment
Plant
Water
Consumers
Reservoir Augmentation
Full
Advanced
Treatment
Large
Reservoir
Myth: There is only one DPR
DPR Lite
Full
Advanced
Treatment
Small
Reservoir
Potable Water
Treatment
Plant
Water
Consumers
Potable Water
Treatment
Plant
Water
Consumers
DPR with Drinking Water Treatment
Full
Advanced
Treatment
DPR Flange-to-Flange
Full
Advanced
Treatment
Water
Consumers
Reservoir Augmentation
Full
Advanced
Treatment
Large
Reservoir
Potable Water
Treatment
Plant
Water
Consumers
• Retention time:
– At least 6 months
• Dilution & mixing options:
– 99-to-1 dilution, or
– 9-to-1 dilution with +1-log treatment
Alternatives Section for SWA Regs?
• Used in CA’s groundwater
replenishment regulations: spreading
and injection.
• Allows adaptation of the regulations
over time.
• Allows broader applicability of SWA
regs.
DDW’s Alternatives Sections
• §60320.130 (spreading) §60320.230
(injection), & §60320.330 (SWA Proposed*)
– Common elements:
• Project Sponsor must
– Demonstrate alternative provides equal protection;
– Include review by Independent scientific advisory panel
• DDW must approve the alternative
• DDW may require public hearings
*Note: Applies to Article 5.3, not Article 9
11
Narrow SWA Regulations Mean
More Projects Fall in DPR Category
• DDW has permitting authority over DPR now even
before the release of the DPR report to the
Legislature.
• But does it make sense to have medium sized
reservoirs called “DPR”?
• What will this mean for CA potable reuse future?
Potable Reuse Around the World
Water Supply Potential of
Potable Reuse*
• Advanced purification could
yield 1.1 MAF/y of potable
supplies.
• All municipal needs for 8
million Californians: 1/5 of
the state’s population.
*(WRRF 14-08, Raucher,
Tchobanoglous)
Potable Use Projects
PERMITTED GROUNDWATER (8)
Existing ≈ 200,000 AFY ∼ 1.6 M People
Potable Use Projects
PERMITTED GROUNDWATER (8)
Existing ≈ 200,000 AFY ∼ 1.6 M People
PLANNED GROUNDWATER (17)
Planned ≈ 221,000 AFY ∼ 1.6 M People
Potable Use Projects
PERMITTED GROUNDWATER (8)
Existing ≈ 200,000 AFY ∼ 1.6 M People
PLANNED GROUNDWATER (17)
Planned ≈ 221,000 AFY ∼ 1.6 M People
PLANNED SURFACE
WATER AUGMENTATION (6)
Planned ≈ 100,000 AFY ∼ 800,000 People
California Potable and Non-Potable Water Reuse Projects
PERMITTED GROUNDWATER (8)
Existing ≈ 200,000 AFY ∼ 1.6 M People
PLANNED GROUNDWATER (17)
Planned ≈ 225,000 AFY ∼ 1.6 M People
PLANNED SURFACE
WATER AUGMENTATION (4)
Planned ≈ 100,000 AFY ∼ 800,000 People
NON-POTABLE WATER
RECYCLING PROJECTS (141)
Planned ≈ 300,000 AFY ∼ 2.4 M People
State of Reuse in the US
Namibia DPR Experience
• Windhoek, Capitol of Namibia
• Longest-running direct potable reuse facility in
the world; in operation since 1968.
• Providing 35% of the overall drinking water
supply for the City.
• Source of pride for
community.
Singapore NEWater
• NEWater can meet 30% of Singapore's total
water demand currently, and is set to meet up
to 55% of its demand by 2060.
• NEWater used for industrial
and reservoir augmentation.
DPR Framework
Potable Research Initiative
WRRF and WRCA
Goal: Advance DPR as a water supply option in
California.
Status: Research Plan, 34 projects valued at over
$20 million.
For more information Go to:
Watereuse.org
Regulatory
Concerns
How do we achieve treatment and
process reliability through
redundancy, robustness,
and resilience?
23 projects
Utility
Concerns
Barriers to
DPR
How do we address
the economic and
technical feasibility
of DPR?
How do we train
operators to run
these advanced
19
systems?
projects
Community
Concerns
How to we increase
public awareness of
the water cycle and
illustrate the safety of
DPR to lead to
acceptance?
6 projects
Framework for DPR
(Released September 2015)
•
•
•
•
•
Funded by:
WateReuse Association
American Water Works Association
Water Environment Federation
National Water Research Institute
administered an Independent Advisory Panel
Topics Addressed
• Regulatory Considerations
– Potential Public Health Risks
– Elements of the Regulatory Permitting Process
– Operator training and certification
• Technology
– Treatment technology for production of AWT
– Treatment performance through source control,
operation and maintenance, monitoring etc
– Appropriate multi treatment barriers
– Blending with other waters
• Public Outreach
– Purpose of Engaging stakeholders and community
– Communication challenges with DPR
– Planning tools and materials for a DPR outreach
effort.
A majority of voters support indirect reuse of recycled
water for drinking.
Would you support or oppose indirect reuse of
recycled water in your community?
Strongly support
Somewhat support
28%
Somewhat oppose
13%
Strongly oppose
18%
Don't know/NA
Total
Oppose
31%
7%
0%
Q11.
Total
Support
62%
34%
10%
20%
30%
40%
Initially, most voters oppose direct
potable reuse.
Would you support or oppose the direct reuse
of recycled water in your community?
Strongly support
Total
Support
40%
16%
Somewhat support
24%
Somewhat oppose
17%
Strongly oppose
36%
Don't know/NA
7%
0%
Q13.
10%
20%
30%
40%
Total
Oppose
54%
Disbelief in the efficacy of the purification system is the
biggest obstacle.
Why would you OPPOSE direct reuse of recycled water for drinking in your community?
Don’t trust filtering process/system
40%
It would be unhealthy/unsafe to drink
26%
Just don’t want to/feel comfortable drinking it
19%
Don’t want to drink “sewer water”
10%
Don’t know enough about it
7%
Concerned of more chemicals in water (used to clean it)
“Human factor”; potential for human error/negligence in
water treatment
No process is 100% effective/Some pathogens/toxins can
never be removed (includes medications)
Lack of available test/study/research results
2%
Will taste bad
2%
3%
3%
3%
Too expensive 1%
Don’t trust city officials to ensure water quality 1%
0%
Q14b. Open end; Responses grouped; Asked of direct potable reuse opponents only
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
Though they are initially opposed, voters quickly become more
comfortable with direct potable reuse
after information about safety.
Do you support or oppose direct reuse of recycled water in your
community for all household purposes, including drinking?
Initial Support
After Safety
Information
After Messages
75%
Total Oppose
54%
56%
Total Support
40%
39%
59%
36%
60%
45%
30%
Don’t Know/NA
7%
15%
5%
5%
0%
Q13 Total/Q18/Q20.
Conclusions
• DPR will be a safe, new water supply for CA.
• Multiple solutions must be pursued
– Non-potable reuse
– Indirect potable reuse
– Direct potable reuse
• Need to ensure public health protection
• Public acceptance is critical
Contact Information:
Jennifer West
WateReuse California
[email protected]
(916) 669-8401