Why Water Reuse is Necessary in the U.S.

Seven reasons we need to consider reusing water:

1.The population is growing – expected to exceed 420 million by 2055
2.There is a limited supply of water

• By 2015, 36 states will face serious water shortages

• Demand is outpacing supply – in megalopolises like Los Angeles there is supply for three million people but demand by 18 million people

3.Climate change – there is reduced snow pack and the U.S. is projected to
become more arid
4.Water contamination – bacteriological, nutrients and chlorides are limiting
supply
5.Industry expansion – states around the great lakes are using water
availability to attract industry
6.To save money – California use 15% of energy for water and wastewater, the
price of water is increasing
7.Environmental responsibility – it’s the right thing to do
The average American uses about 160 gallons of water per day. A quarter of all clean water that enters your home is used to flush toilets. Up to 50% of water is used for irrigation. Historic practice has been to use water once and dispose of it as waste. There are several challenges in getting homeowners and businesses to reuse water:

Political-

1. The inability to be progressive until “the wolf is at the door”
2. What should you charge for water?

Regulatory

1. Watersheds have different boundaries than state and municipal authorities, this makes coordination difficult
2. No one is willing to take responsibility for the health risk
3. Lack of clarity over who’s responsible – water or wastewater authorities?
4. Fragmentation stifles innovation.

Public buy-in

1. Requires a lot of explanation and education
2. Correction of misinformation and misperceptions Wastewater is now recognized as a resource:

In Florida, 75% of wastewater is to be reused by 2025. California is reducing per capita water use by 20% by 2020. Las Vegas spent $90 million buying grass off homeowners saving millions of gallons of water each year.

We can reduce demand by introducing more water efficient devices and appliances as well as increasing the price of water to reflect its true cost.