From the LA Times:
Note: This plant is remarkably important – but not for direct potable supply or population growth control.
Orange County sewage will soon be drinking water
A $490-million plant will clean effluent to state standards, then inject it into the groundwater basin for further filtration.
By Dan Weikel, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
January 2, 2008
As a hedge against water shortages and population growth, Orange County has begun operating the world’s largest, most modern reclamation plant — a facility that can turn 70 million gallons of treated sewage into drinking water every day.
The new purification system at the Orange County Water District headquarters in Fountain Valley cost about $490 million and comprises a labyrinth of pipes, filters, holding tanks and pumps across 20 acres.
Almost four years after construction began, the facility is now purifying effluent from a neighboring sewage treatment plant run by the Orange County Sanitation District, a partner in the venture.
The finished product will be injected into the county’s vast groundwater basin to combat saltwater intrusion and supplement drinking water supplies for 2.3 million people in coastal, central and northern Orange County.
But before that can be done, state health officials must certify that the reclaimed water meets drinking water standards. Officials expect the approval to be granted before opening ceremonies Jan. 25.
“Our sources from the delta and the Colorado River are becoming unavailable,” said Michael R. Markus, general manager of the water district. “This will help drought-proof the region and give us a locally controlled source of water.”
Read the rest of the article at the Los Angeles Times
Last 5 posts by Richard Hawley
“Note: This plant is remarkably important – but not for population growth”
It’s very important, but why do you say “not for population growth” at the top? What’s the connection?
I would support such a system for Cambria. It would free up water supplies to allow lifting the moratorium. But it would be just as expensive if not moreso and just as energy intensive as desal.
I just saw a program on the Atlanta Botanical Garden. They created a series of underground cisterns to capture rainwater for use during periods of drought. It seems to me that this type of system adjacent to the creeks could be a relatively non-invasive way to capture creek water before it empties into the sea.
I would support such a system for Cambria.
The Health Dept will not allow counting cistern capacity against required water supply, because they are known to run dry when you need them most. In a drought, they’re empty. Nevertheless, they should be required on all new Cambria homes.
How would the locals respond to a mandatory retrofit program to get cisterns on all homes?
That is very interesting. I wonder,however, how the community members are reacting to the project. Is every one comfortable with drinking recycled sewer water even if it meets state standards. The recycled non-potable water that is provided free of charge to the residents of Cambria meets state standards for potable water. Would you want to drink it?
When I lived in New Orleans a friend of mine once told me, half-jokingly, that by the time I was sipping on a glass of water it had been “through” at least 5 people. Recycled water can easily be cleaner than groundwater or surface water, especially if you factor in non-point source pollution and pollution from storm run-off. We already all re-use water…where do you think the water in your tap comes from? I’m not a scientist, but I’m pretty sure ALL water is reused and there is really no “new” water on the planet. I’d drink it without even thinking, once it was treated to standards…it would probably taste better than water that had been desalinated. Anyone up for a taste test challenge?
The Orange County project has been widely reported and I have not heard anyone talking about it. But they’re not delivering it to homes. They’re strictly using it for groundwater recharge. It will get drank, but only after it’s pumped back out of the ground.