TOILET TO TAP:
Improving Public Perceptions of Potable
Wastewater Reuse
Agriculture Communication Project Pitch
Ana Martin-Ryals, Agricultural & Biological Engineering
Feb. 9, 2015
Lachine, P.
“Facing the yuck factor”
Global Water Challenges
• 1.2 billion people live in areas of physical water scarcity1
• 1.6 billion people face economic water shortage1
• Water use is growing at more than twice the rate of population increase1
• 2.6 billion people lack adequate sanitation2
Source: Veolia Water & IFPRI, 2011
Benefits of Wastewater Reuse
•
Clean drinking water
•
Sewage treatment, reduced contamination of fresh water resources
•
Reduced cost, energy, and environmental impacts compared to conventional
treatment
•
More locational flexibility compared to conventional treatment & desalination
•
Opportunity for energy recovery
Relative Energy Intensity of Water Supply Options
for Inland Empire Utilities Agency in Southern California4
Potable Wastewater Reuse Technology
"The quality from sewage is very good, as good or better than the tap water
in any city in the developed world.“
- Benedito Braga, President of World Water Council5
Sewage Water
Membrane
Filtration
UV
Disinfection
Reverse
Osmosis
Carbon
Filtration
More
Disinfection
Adapted from McDonald, C. 2013
Reclamation in Action
•
Bill Gates & The "Omniprocessor"
•
Singapore, NEWater reclamation facility
• Operating since 2003
• Currently meets 30% of country’s water need
•
Texas aims to generate 10% of all new water
supplies through reclaimed water by 2060
•
California, Orange Country Water District:
• Reclamation currently supplements ground water
• $1 billion invested to fund recycling for direct
potable use
Public Perceptions – Can they be improved?
“Recycled water schemes have been historically shot down by
public disgust at the concept” – CNN, 2014
Jimmy Fallon with Bill Gates
Source: http://www.ubmfuturecities.com/
References
1.
Water Scarcity. United Nations department of Economic and Social Affairs. (2014)
http://www.un.org/waterforlifedecade/scarcity.shtml
2.
Progress on Dinking Water and Sanitation, 2014 Update. World Health Organization and
UNICEF. (2014)
3.
Sustaining growth via water productivity: 2030/2050 scenarios. Veolia Water & IFPRI. (2011)
http://growingblue.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/IFPRI_VEOLIA_STUDY_2011.pdf
4.
Klien, G., Krbs, M., Hall, V., O’Brien, T., Blevins, B. California's Water – Energy Relationship.
California Energy Commission. (2005)
5.
Monks, K. From toilet to tap: Getting a taste for drinking recycled waste water. CNN. (2014)
www.CNN.com
6.
McDonald, C. Where water is scarce, cities look at ‘toilet to tap’. MySA San Antonio’s Home
Page. (2013) www.mysanantonio.com
7.
Duerr, R. Singapore’s ‘toilet to tap’ concept. Deutsche Welle. (2013) www.dw.de
8.
Than, K. Reclaimed Wastewater for Drinking: Safe but Still a Tough Sell. National Geographic
News. (2012) news.ntionalgepgraphic.com
9.
Nusca, A. Without Sustainability, ‘Severe’ Water Scarcity by 2050. Smart Planet. (2011)
www.smartplanet .com
10.
Coren, M. Would You Drink Treated Sewage Water? Trick Question – You Already Are. (2012).
www.fastcoexist.com