The California Water Resources Control Board voted unanimously on its new rules that allow state water agencies to turn sewage water into drinkable water for homes and businesses.
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Colorado was the first state to approve this process in 2022; California is now the second. The new rules contain requirements “aimed at ensuring that germs and chemicals are scrubbed from treated sewage,” according to CalMatters.
Daniel McCurry, an assistant professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at USC, told KNX News’ Margaret Carrero that the state can’t continue relying on Colorado River water.
“In places like Los Angeles, we really need to start developing more sources of locally produced water, and wastewater recycling is probably going to be the largest part of that,” he said. “You know, at some point, we might build more desalination plants, things like that. But those are very expensive and environmentally controversial. Wastewater reuse is really the low-hanging fruit.”
Daniel McCurry, an assistant professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at USC, told KNX News’ Margaret Carrero we can’t just continue to rely on water from the Colorado River.
The state has been using recycled wastewater for decades. Farmers in Central Valley use it to water their crops while the Soda Springs Ski Resort near Lake Tahoe use it to make snow, according to the Associated Press.
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