Who ever claimed Californians were full of crap?
Officials in the Golden State this week approved new “toilet-to-tap” regulations, allowing water agencies to take wastewater from homes, recycle it and pump it back to households in an effort to boost the state’s dwindling water supply.
“It will truly be the highest quality water delivered in the state when it’s done,” said Darrin Polhemus, director of the Division of Drinking Water and the State Water Resources Control Board.
Despite some trepidation from consumers, officials have guaranteed the scheme is safe due to it having three rigorous stages of treatment.
The water is treated for pathogens and viruses in a way officials say is so thorough, minerals actually have to be added back to improve the taste.
“If one fails there’s still two remaining in its place as backups to make sure nothing goes untreated,” Polhemus said.
California is notoroiusly drought prone and has a dependency on water supply from other states via the Colorado River. However, 2023 brought an exceptional amount of rain and by October was over 99% drought free, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Although the water will be more expensive than imported water, the supply is more renewable and reliable, according to CalMatters.
California is the second state to allow the process, following Colorado.
California has been using recycled water for decades on vegetable and fruit crops and watering lawns, but this would be the first time the technology would be used directly for drinking water.
“I would have no hesitation drinking this water my whole life,” said Daniel McCurry, an assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering at the University of Southern California.
Since building treatment facilities are expensive and will take a lot of time, larger cities such as San Diego and Silicon Valley/Bay Area that have the funding will be among the first to make the transition.
That means nearly half of San Diego’s supply would be recycled water by 2035, officials said.
“Drought happens all the time and with climate change it will only get worse,” Kirsten Struve with the Santa Clara Valley Water District told ABC. “This is a drought-resistant supply that we will need in the future to meet the demands of our communities.”
With Post wires.