Orange County sewage converted to drinking water

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balboarenter_IHB

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I'm surprised there hasn't been any discussion of this. If there has, I apologize for double posting.



FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif. ? It used to be so final: flush the toilet, and waste be gone.



But on Nov. 30, for millions of people here in Orange County, pulling the lever will be the start of a long, intense process to purify the sewage into drinking water ? after a hard scrubbing with filters, screens, chemicals and ultraviolet light and the passage of time underground.



...



The finished product, which district managers say exceeds drinking water standards, will not flow directly into kitchen and bathroom taps; state regulations forbid that.



Instead it will be injected underground, with half of it helping to form a barrier against seawater intruding on groundwater sources and the other half gradually filtering into aquifers that supply 2.3 million people, about three-quarters of the county. The recycling project will produce much more potable water and at a higher quality than did the mid-1970s-era plant it replaces.



Full article: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/27/us/27conserve.html?_r=1&oref=slogin



I actually read the water quality pamphlets I get from the city, and I've never had a problem with drinking tap water. But there is just something within me that cringes at the thought of this process.
 
This topic was briefly touched upon last month somewhere...... can't remember which thread. My initial reaction is - ewwwww. But I'm sure it's necessary.
 
<p>Found it <a href="http://forums.irvinehousingblog.com/discussion/1241/">http://forums.irvinehousingblog.com/discussion/1241/</a> or if link doesn't work, do a search for "thirsty"</p>
 
I remember as a kid if you took water from the tap you had to wait a minute for it to clear. I think its the reason why I hate water and love soda. I think I will stay to bottled water for now.
 
It's cleaner than what you get from the river. A lot of sewage goes into a river and it does NOT get the same treatment as reclaimed water. Besides, it replenishes the water table where it goes into an additional stage of filtering. It's more of a PR stunt that people are against it - toilet to tap sort of closes to deal for many. Since most political decisions are made on an emotional and not rational basis, people are usually against it. I say "bottoms up!".





Note: bottled water goes through even less quality checks than tap water - and in many cases comes from the same pipe with less purification/treatment than tap water.
 
<p>Exactly green cactus, the toilet to tap is cleaning than the sludge floating down the Colorado. Take a drive out to Laughlin and Havasu, watch all the sleaseballs partying on the water, drinking, pissing, fornicating. Then remember, than water flows down to the uptake pumps for SoCal, gets pumped across canals and pipes for hundreds of miles, then ends up here, in your tap.</p>

<p> </p>
 
Singapore's NEWater:


http://www.pub.gov.sg/NEWater_files/index.html





OC's Water Factor 21 has been recycling waste water for indirect potable use since 1976.





I'd have loved to study water reclamation back in college, but I doubt they offer a degree for it.





If you drive along the Santa Ana River, you'd notice many man-made lakes along the side. There's a bunch down in Anaheim by Lincoln Blvd, and the leased fishing ponds at Anaheim Lake & Santa Ana River Lakes. These are all used to recharge underground water table. I used to sneak in down by Lincoln Blvd area to go fishing all the time. Here's some photos from one man-made lake there:


http://www.mistyrose.com/photos/2005/07-12-2005/index.html





There used to be a hiking trail there in early 1980s, but they closed it due to too many idiots. I heard there were plans to reopen it, but donno the status.





Plenty of carp and catfish... but not recommended for human consumption. Trasspassing or fence hopping may result in arrest, fines, and imprisonment.
 
Water Factory 21 shut down in about 2004. The new facility that opened recently, and is the subject of the news release that sparked this thread, replaced WF-21. The water from the new facility is being injected into aquifers to prevent saltwater intrusion and spread in infiltration ponds in the Anaheim/Orange area to allow its incorporation into the regional groundwater reservoir. Similar aquifer protection is being practiced in the area around LAX and groundwater reservoir recharge with treated wastewater is being practiced in the Upper San Gabriel Valley. Drink up!



Degree programs in Environmental Engineering are offered in many larger universities and water/wastewater treatment is one of the specialties. Stanford and Berkeley are strong in this field. But (ahem!) the University of Illinois has an outstanding program. I understand they have a fair football team, also.
 
I believe in science.





If it undergoes an extremely rigorous purification process that is confirmed by trustworthy tests, it's fine with me.





I'd agree with cactus, I trust what comes out of some of these lakes and rivers less.
 
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