2. Introduction
• Struggle to meet the demand for clean water
– Desalination
– Wastewater Reclamation
• Objectives
– Explore how wastewater reclamation works
– Analyze pros and cons
– Recommendations for Future Development
3. How it works
• Wastewater Reclamation: potable vs
nonpotable
• 10%
• More economical
• SUSTAINABLE!
4. History
• Early 1500s
– Sewerage
– Water sanitation
• 1960s: Era of Wastewater Reclamation
• 1969: Namibia
• 1974 SWDA
• 1977 CWA
• Early 1980s-present day
5. Process
• Primary
• Secondary
• Tertiary
• Post-Tertiary
7. Who Uses it?
• United States (California, Virginia, New
Mexico, Colorado)
• Namibia
• Singapore
• Australia (parts)
• And Beyond!
8. Analysis of Issues
The BIGGEST Issue
• Most people think “YUCK”!
• Even though it’s certified clean
• How do you convince people it’s ok?
9. More common than you know!
Most people don’t realize that most water
they’re consuming is actually reclaimed water
that was put in a stream or river from the city
before theirs.
10. Orange County, California
• They take the reclaimed water and put it back
into a groud aquifer.
• “Technically" it is groundwater
• If questioned, they host informative meetings
on how the water meets regulations.
11. Interviews
Three Employees from the City of Howell
Wastewater Department.
• Not really informed on how it works.
• Not one finds the system necessary for Michigan
• They DO find it smart and beneficial for places
who don’t have great water amounts.
• They have problems with just putting reclaimed
water into the river, let alone having people drink
it.
12. Climate Change
• Southwest- Their water
is diminishing FAST
• In need of water
source.
• Coastal communities
could increase the
amount of municipal
water available by as
much as 27 percent.
13. Population
The population is projected to double in the
Southwest in 20-40 years.
We already don’t have enough water!!
14. Pros
• The water is less expensive to use or to treat
and users benefit from the savings.
• The end use is located close to the source
thereby eliminating the need for costly
distribution systems.
• Reclaimed water is a drought-proof source of
water, which is probably the biggest upside to
the system.
15. Pros
• It is the only source of water that
automatically increases with increased
economic activity and population growth,
which helps with the economic drought.
• One last major pro to the system is it helps
conserve traditional sources of water such as
groundwater and surface water.
16. Cons
• The water reuse may be
seasonal in nature, resulting
in the overloading of
treatment and disposal
facilities during off seasons.
• Need to pay for a new
treatment system. (Terrible
economy, and money is
EVERYTHING to many)
17. Recommendations
• Use reclaimed
wastewater!
– Virtually nothing to
worry about
– More economically
feasible
– Stable water supply
• WHY?
– Aquifer Mining
– Salt water
encroachment
19. How can we educate effectively?
• Three groups control
public opinion
– Politicians
– Advocacy Groups/
Interested Organizations
– Media
20. Effective Education
• Visual Information
• Reach out to everybody everywhere
• Be straightforward
– Share all relevant information
– Use recognizable terms
• Education Works!
21. Recommendations
• Combined sewers
– Make sure facility has
enough capacity
• Personal Care Products
– Further research
– Wastewater reclamation
process more effective?
22. Other Options
• Storm water as drinking water
• Singapore
– Import water from Malaysia
– Rainwater catchment
– Reservoir in ocean
– Desalination
– Wastewater Reclamation
