Planned indirect potable reuse

Planned indirect potable uses have occurred for many years - with no known health issues.  Many utilities worldwide deliberately mimic Nature by recycling through technology.  A few examples are:

• Orange County Water District, USA
• Upper Occopquan Sewage Authority, USA
• Singapore
• Atlanta, Georgia, USA
• Windhoek, Namibia

Orange County Water District, California, USA

• Since 1976 has injected treated reclaimed water into the groundwater aquifer
• Water drawn from aquifer is treated and provides drinking water for 2 million people.  See the details

Upper Occoquan Sewage Authority, Virginia, USA

• For 25 years has discharged recylced water to the Upper Occoquan Reservoir with NO public health issues
• Water from the reservoir is a source of drinking water for 1.2 million people.  See the details

Singapore's NEWater

• Since 2003 has mixzed reclaimed water with reservoir water
• NEWater currently provides 1% of the current drinking water for 4.2 million people
• 70 ML/d is provided to 50 high-tech users who demand highly purified water  See the details

Information Sources

Orange County

1. DDB Engineering Inc - Orange County Water District Interim Water Factory 21 and Talbert Gap Seawater Intrusion barrier 2004 Annual Report – prepared for the California Regional Water Quality Control Board, Santa Ana Region
2. Orange County Water District Web Site www.ocwd.com
3. Groundwater Replenishment Scheme Web Site www.gwrsystem.com

Windhoek Namibia

1. Ben van der Merwe, Case Study on Water Demand Management in Windhoek www.winhhoekcc.org.na/repository/Services&Procedures/Water/Case_Study_Water_Demand_1999.pdf
2. Ian B Law, Potable Reuse – What are we afraid of? Proceedings Ozwater Convention, Brisbane Qld 8 – 12 May 2005.
3. J Lahnsteiner and G Lempert, Water Management in Windhoek Namibia
4. United States Environmental Protection Agency, Guidelines for Water Reuse EPA/625/R-04/108 September 2004
5. World Health Organisation, Health risks in aquifer recharge using reclaimed water – State of the art report SDE/WSH/03.08

Singapore NEWater

1. H. Seah, J. Poon, G. Leslie, I.B. Law, Singapore NEWater Demonstration Project Another Milestone in Indirect Potable Reuse, Water June 2003
2. Singapore Public Utilities Board Website www.pub.gov.sg
3. Singapore Water Reclamation Study Expert Panel Review and Findings June 2002 www.pub.gov.sg/NEWater_files/download/review.pdf
4. United States Environmental Protection Agency, Guidelines for Water Reuse EPA/625/R-04/108 September 2004

Upper Occoquan Sewage Authority/Fairfax County

1. ABC Southern Queensland radio interview 17/3/06 – Jeannie Bailey, Public Affairs Officer, Fairfax County
2. Fairfax County Comprehensive Plan, 2003 Edition, Chesapeake bay Supplement, Adopted 11-5-2004
3. www.fairfaxcounty.gov/dpz/comprehensiveplan/policyplan/chesapeakebay/waterpollution.pdf
4. Ian B Law, Potable Reuse – What are we afraid of? Proceedings Ozwater Convention, Brisbane Qld 8 – 12 May 2005.
5. From Wastewater to Drinking Water: An American Water Reclamation Plant, Public Works Online www.pwmag.com/articles/wastewater/reclaim.asp

United States Environmental Protection Agency, Guidelines for Water Reuse EPA/625/R-04/108 September 2004

There is also alot of  incidental, unplanned potable reuse, see some of the examples we have found.