Did you know water can be recycled, just like soda cans and plastic bottles?

The globe’s hydrological cycle is the way that water has been naturally recycled throughout Earth’s history. Humans, who use the world’s freshwater supply, have begun creating their own hydrological cycles to make the most of the water that they use.

Recycled water is purified wastewater. It has gone through several levels of treatment so that it is clean and safe. In California, recycled water is rigorously monitored by local, state, and federal agencies to make sure that it always meets the standards set by the California Department of Health Services.

Recycled water is different from the kind of water that you drink and bathe in. That water is referred to as potable water, and it receives different kinds of treatment to make sure it is safe for humans.

Wastewater is the water that goes down the drain when we use sinks, toilets, showers, dishwashers, and other appliances in the home, school, or at work. Wastewater is piped to treatment plants, and there it undergoes three levels of treatment and disinfection, depending on what it will be used for, afterward.

Since 1929 Los Angeles County’s sanitation districts have treated water and used it to supply irrigation for their parks and golf courses. Landscape irrigation is a common use for recycled water.

The globe is facing increasing shortages of freshwater due to climate change introducing more droughts, and many humans do not have access to clean water. Recycling water mixed with smart water conservation are some of the ways currently being used to provide for the world’s freshwater needs.

California is one of the leaders in reclaimed water usage. The Irvine Ranch Water District was the first to approve the use of reclaimed water for in-building piping and to use for flushing toilets, and the Orange County Water District has been using highly purified recycled water in a groundwater replenishment system. Central Basin Municipal Water District has been particularly instrumental in developing water recycling programs that utilize treated and purified reclaimed water for a wide range of non-drinking purposes. This is part of a plan to keep clean water running through the Earth for many years to come.

Wastewater reclamation is even important in human spaceflight. In 1998, NASA announced that they had created a human waste reclamation bioreactor for future manned missions to Mars and for use on the International Space Station. Human waste enters the bioreactor and emerges as pure oxygen, pure water, and compost. Soil will be extremely important when we begin exploring Mars in person, because green plants will add oxygen to the atmosphere and provide food for the astronauts. The bioreactor even produces electricity! Water recycling is definitely the wave of the future.

In the kitchen:

1.) When washing dishes by hand, fill the sink with enough soapy water to wash all of the dishes, and do not let the H2O run while washing. Rinse under a thin stream of H2O.

2.) You can save up to 1,000 gallons a month by running the dishwasher and washing machine only when full.

3.) Compost vegetable waste and use the garbage disposal as little as possible.

4.) Fill a bowl with H2O to wash fruits and vegetables in and the reuse the H2O for houseplants.

5.) Soak pots and pans in soapy water overnight, rather than running hot water full blast on them while trying to remove caked on food.

6.) Defrost food in the refrigerator for maximum food safety and efficiency. In a pinch, use the microwave instead of the sink.

7.) Consider installing an instant heater by the sink so you don’t have to let H2O run until it heats up.

In the home:

1.) When doing laundry, adjust the H2O level to match the size of the load of clothes.

2.) Install aerators on all of your faucets to save water.

3.) Insulate all of your pipes for faster hot water at the tap and significant energy savings.

4.) When shopping for a new washing machine, be sure to look at the energy efficiency information on each one you’re considering. Machines that use the smallest amount of water possible save plenty of water and energy!

5.) Keep an eye on your bill from month to month. If you notice a spike in usage, but you haven’t done anything new, it’s time to check for leaks.

In the bath:

1.) Whenever possible, take a shower instead of a bath, and keep it quick!

2.) Turning off the water while brushing your teeth can save 25 gallons a month.

3.) Turning off the water while you wash your hair can save up to 150 gallons a month.

4.) Turning off the water while you shave can save up to 300 gallons a month.

In the yard:

1.) Adjust sprinklers so only your lawn is watered and none is wasted on sidewalks and pavements.

2.) Water your lawn early in the morning. It’s better for your garden than watering at night, and less is lost to evaporation.

3.) Use a trowel to check the root zone of your garden or lawn before you water. If soil is still moist two inches down, you don’t need to water.

4.) When the kids want to play in the water, set up the sprinkler in the area of your yard that needs the most water and let them have guilt-free fun.

In some areas of the country, rainfall is frequent and fresh water is plentiful. However, in dry climates, potable or drinkable water is limited, and the use of recycled water becomes a practical as well as an eco-friendly choice. If you thought the treated water from wastewater plants was merely dumped into rivers and oceans, think again. There are many safe uses for processed waste water.

1) Landscape irrigation

In places where it is warranted, whole developments and surrounding businesses have recycled water irrigation systems in place. These systems are completely separate from the domestic water supply with many safeguards in place to prevent contamination.

2) Instream flow augmentation

Due to urban sprawl, heavy irrigation, and low precipitation, waterways which once had numerous tributaries feeding them have been depleted, endangering species of fish and wildlife. Wastewater which has undergone tertiary level treatment, including microfiltration and UV disinfection, can be piped into streams and rivers to restore the water supply.

3) Industrial uses

Depending on the level of treatment, processed wastewater can be used in commercial cooling or air conditioning where a cooling tower is utilized, and in industrial sprinkler systems.

4) Recreation

Recycled water is used for fountain displays in outdoor parks as a part of the landscaping, to water golf courses, and to make artificial snow for skiing and decorative use.

5) Farming

In places where farming depends on irrigation, treated wastewater plays a vital role. Again depending on the level of treatment, recycled water can be used to water vegetables, grain crops fruit trees and vineyards. It is also a good source of irrigation for pastured land. Many regulations are in place where this type of irrigation occurs to ensure the safety of the consumer. The level of treatment at the processing plant is dependent on whether or not the water will actually come into physical contact with the edible parts of the plants.

6) Construction

Reclaimed water can be used for a number of purposes on construction sites, such as concrete mixing and dust control around the outdoor workplace.

Caution signs are required to be placed anywhere recycled water is being used to alert the public and ensure that the water is not used for human consumption. In addition, all piping, connection joints, faucet or sprinkler heads are properly labeled and color coded purple to distinguish reclaimed wastewater from the potable water supply. With the appropriate regulations and controls, recycling water has become a safe and integral part of the effort to safeguard our most precious natural resource.

watershed

A watershed is also known as a water basin, or a catchment. Each watershed is separated from other basins by hills, mountains, or ridges and forms a funnel whereby water is drained down the sides toward a single point. Correctly managing a watershed is crucial to the long-term survival of California’s natural vegetation and beauty.

In California, watershed management has become a community effort as people come together to effectively manage natural resources throughout the state’s hundreds of water basins. A watershed needs to provide for the needs of the people, plants, and animals living within it. State agencies and programs help support and assist the communities’ grassroots efforts and help them find beneficial solutions for everyone and everything involved.

Using watersheds to organize planning and the implementation of natural resource management means that large regions can be divided according to their topography instead of along jurisdictional lines. Correct management must recognize and take into consideration the hydrologic cycle, nutrient and carbon cycling, soil and geologic characteristics, natural ecology, and the roles of flood and fire.

Meeting The Demand For Water

As people have become more attuned to the role of humanity in the surrounding environment, and how we can affect things for better or worse, more people have become concerned about limited resources, such as freshwater, and how to naturally preserve and purify them. Water demand grows with every year, but the hydrologic cycle does not necessarily change to allow for population growth. In fact, climate change has brought increased drought to many parts of the state, while it has brought flooding to large parts of the midwest.

How We Can Help

Managing the state’s watersheds is a good way to help improve the amount and the quality of freshwater available. At each point along the entire water basin ecosystem, care needs to be taken so that unsafe chemicals or untreated wastewater are not being spilled into waters that will eventually be passed on to more fragile areas, or to places where people want clean water for family recreation.

Practices such as reestablishing wetlands, with the help of water being correctly moved along a water basin, can greatly help in the reduction of water pollution, as well as creating areas that add interest and beauty for tourists and locals. Wetlands are always popular sites for birdwatching, and add places for the natural flora and fauna to flourish closer to home.

The only way to ensure our generation and the ones to come will have clean drinking water and water to play in is by making sure each one of our actions has the future in mind. Managing the landscape and watersheds is an important step for the years ahead.

Central Basin has partnered with several of our water retailers to launch the Shut Your Tap! CARE Program starting July 1.  Under the program, qualifying families will receive a free bathroom upgrade that will replace old, water-wasting devices with new high-efficient ones. The retrofit includes a High-Efficiency Toilet, showerhead, faucet aerator for your sink and an Energy Star light bulb.

Supplies are limited and the program will conclude on December 1, 2011. To find out if you are eligible, please call (626) 335-1500.

Did you know that only one percent of treated water piped to houses and businesses is actually consumed?  The vast majority of it goes to irrigating lawns, crops and industrial uses.  Some of the water coming out of your tap has traveled many hundreds of miles, aided by large electric pumps to grace your presence for a sweet second before exiting through your drain.  Climate change, decreases in diversions from the San Francisco Bay Delta and the Colorado River, and population growth are all threatening southern California’s water supplies, so Central Basin along with several other water agencies are doing their part to increase the use of recycled water.

You’ve always been told to recycle your paper or bottles, so why not also your water?  In places like Southern California, Sydney and Singapore, recycling water has become more popular because it makes water local again, making cities more self-reliant and preventing the need for a significant portion of water imports.  As water scarcity becomes a greater issue in Southern California, more people are learning about the importance of recycled wastewater as a part of supply portfolios.  

Earlier this month, USA Today devoted an article to explaining the need for wastewater recycling, and while they made clear the need and safety of recycled water, they didn’t do much to help recycled water get over its biggest opponent, it’s image with a title that fed into the ’yuck factor’: “From toilets to tap: How we get tap water from sewage.” The WateReuse Association’s executive director, Wade Miller, pointed this out in a letter to the editor. Miller stresses that the key to getting over the ‘yuck factor’ is to learn about the technologies and disinfection processes that remove impurities to make the water safe to use again.

Wastewater treatment can be tailored to meet the water quality requirements of a planned use. Water used in factories and in irrigation requires less treatment than drinking water, and recycling wastewater for our largest users is a reliable, efficient way Central Basin supports local business.  Central Basin’s Southeast Water Reliability Project does this by delivering over 5 billion gallons of recycled water to commercial, industrial, and commercial sites, reducing the regional demand on imported water.   Some agencies treat their wastewater even further, so that it may be used as drinking water.  If the water is treated to the highest standards, why do people think it is still so gross?  We use and reuse all the water molecules on earth, it is the circle of life, poetic and beautiful, modern and efficient, but most of all - it’s safe!   Certainly not anything to be grossed out by.

“When we get rain like we did in October, we literally welcome every drop. The rain also serves as a reminder that you should turn off your sprinklers when we get a good soaking like we had on several occasions last month,” said Art Aguilar, General Manager of the Central Basin Municipal Water District in Southern California. 

During October, it rained eight days in downtown Los Angeles which is believed to be a record. However, the state of California is still in a drought and a looming water supply allocation for Southern California argues for even more emphasis on water conservation.

“We urge everyone to conserve water on a year round basis. That’s one of the reasons why water consumption in our service area of Southern California has remained relatively the same despite steady population growth,” added Aguilar

Central Basin, which serves much of southeast Los Angeles County, has a sophisticated and varied number of conservation programs designed to help save water. These programs include rebates and discounts on water saving devices that reduce amount of water used for irrigating the outdoors around homes and businesses as well as newer toilets, showers and water faucets that use less water.

Central Basin, which is a member of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, has been promoting water conservation through a regional awareness campaign called “Shut Your Tap!” and is working hard to with local cities in their services area to identify and implement local conservation efforts.

Central Basin, which has been a leader in conservation for the past 19 years, is headquartered in the City of Commerce south of downtown Los Angeles and serves over two million people.

Lake Skinner, where students will compete to win Solar Cup 2010!

One of our favorite events this time of year is Solar Cup, hosted by the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. As a proud annual sponsor, we support outstanding local high school students as they work all year to build the best solar-powered boat they can.  This Friday, May 14 kicks off the 8th annual competition at Lake Skinner! Check out other exciting programs and events happening this month after the jump:

We’ve partnered with the LA County Public Works Department to host a free Smart Gardening Workshop, Go Green, Grow Green. Both the beginner and advanced workshops are available and will feature fantastic water-wise tips for your backyard that will keep your garden looking beautiful, and that water bill low! Click here to check out all of our upcoming gardening workshops.

Finally, we think May is the perfect time of year for an HET giveaway! If your toilet is robbing you blind by wasting water, it’s time to upgrade to a FREE high-efficiency toilet. All customers of Park Water Company, San Gabriel Valley Water Company, and Suburban Water Systems qualify. Supplies are limited and available on a first come, first serve basis, so arrive early!

When: Saturday, May 22

Time: 8:00 AM

Where: Norwalk City Hall

Spring cleaning may have just gotten a little greener!

What does that mean for you? Californians are eligible to receive a $100 rebate on select Energy Star washing machines. But the savings don’t stop there. Manufacturers, retailers, and utility companies are pitching in, too: the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California will throw in an additional $50 rebate, and residents can receive $50 more from the California Department of Water Resources. Finally, check with your local utility company for extra rebates—for example, SoCal Gas has a $35 rebate, which would bring your grand total to $235 in savings!

This program has been in the works for several months, and is similar to the federal Cash 4 Clunkers program. The rebates will continue until the money runs out.

For more info, check out a Q & A from ABC News.

The stunning Whittier Greenway Trail

Central Basin is gearing up for our H.E.L.P. Landscape Workshop in Whittier on March 20. The workshop will include great information on water-saving landscape practices and how to integrate California-friendly plants into your garden.

We’re excited that Mayor Bob Henderson will join us to welcome participants and provide the opening remarks! And while you’re in Whittier, check out the Whittier Greenway Trail– a terrific example of how beautiful native plants can be.

The H.E.L.P. Landscape Workshop is one of our most popular free programs. Click here to sign up today! We hope you can join us!