Reclaiming Our Water
Drought conditions in Texas and California have further compounded water scarcity. Forcing many communities to consider a reclaimed water system, also known as a water reuse system, as an alternative. Further leveraging previously available automated bulk water dispensing station technologies to soften the burden on existing potable water networks.
People have given reclaimed water an unfair reputation, thanks to the vivid but slightly inaccurate slogan ‘toilet to tap.’ However, those ahead of the curve have successfully implemented a reclaimed, automated bulk water program.
Treatment plants take wastewater effluent and clean it extensively, producing reclaimed water.
Most of the time, plants send it back to a river. In plenty of communities, though, they reclaim some and hold it in tanks. From there, they run it through ‘purple pipes’ for irrigation, manufacturing, cooling, and other non-drinking uses.
Austin Water, Texas, installed its initial reclaimed water system in 1974, and since then, the network has grown considerably.
In fact, Austin Water’s current system comprises approximately 51 miles of reclaimed water transmission mains.
Currently, the City of Austin recycles 3-5% of its wastewater effluent, depending on the weather. Austin’s Water Reclamation Initiative (WRI), also known as its wastewater recycling program, is a program. It is integral to the City’s water conservation program and saved approximately 1.1 billion gallons of drinking water in 2014-15.
Plans for the system include more than 130 miles of transmission mains, with estimated annual use exceeding 8 billion gallons.
The reclaimed water in Austin’s purple pipes comes from the Walnut Creek Treatment Plant in east Austin.
Even though people don’t drink it, reclaimed water is clean. Because of that, it works well for irrigation, landscaping, cooling towers, and toilet flushing.
Estimates indicate that some air-conditioning systems could account for up to 50% of the potable water supplied to buildings.
Austin Water is planning for a new $4.7 million reclaimed water line. Intended to feed the state capitol complex, portions of the University of Texas campus, and four Travis County buildings along Guadeloupe Street.
By actively incorporating reclaimed water use into government buildings, Austin is rapidly becoming a role model for other municipalities.
“We will save almost 12 million gallons of water a year, and the piping will pay for itself in a little over six years, and after that, taxpayers will be saving over $150 thousand annually, just from these four buildings,” said Travis County Commissioner Brigid Shea.
Shwetha Pandurangi, Austin Water’s Reclaimed Water Project Manager, recently reported, “The City of Austin is proud to announce that reclaimed water will soon be extended to use in commercial and industrial laundries.”
The eventual goal is to extend the line further downtown to serve the developments that continue to change Austin’s skyline.
“I think this is a result of many, many leaders saying that we’ve got to think differently about water in the future, and this is one of the things we are doing about that,” said Austin Water Director Greg Meszaros.
It will take almost two years to complete the reclaimed water line. There are no immediate plans to process reclaimed water to a drinkable quality. However, Austin Water officials say that could eventually become an option.
Clean Water Services in Hillsboro, Oregon, recently brewed beer made with treated effluent directly from their wastewater treatment plant.
Reclaimed water customers must ensure that their reclaimed water plumbing does not connect to potable water plumbing.
They must conduct an initial integrity test of both plumbing systems. As required by the plumbing code, before receiving reclaimed water service.
Regulations require annual plumbing integrity tests, which teams typically conduct alongside backflow prevention device testing.
Once testing confirms system integrity, teams submit the results to Austin Water Utility’s Special Services Division.
During potable-water testing, crews keep the potable plumbing pressurized and depressurize the reclaimed-water plumbing.
After that, they keep an eye on the reclaimed water system lines; if pressure climbs, it likely means a cross-connection
Crews then repeat the procedure in reverse, pressurizing the reclaimed-water lines and depressurizing the potable-water plumbing. Then they monitor it for pressure increases that would indicate a cross-connection.
Austin Water constructed recycled bulk water dispensing stations at several locations within the Austin area. All in an effort to make reclaimed water available to customers with commercial hauler trucks or to those who haul it themselves.
These bulk water dispensing stations supply reused water for all non-potable purposes, including landscaping, irrigation, pest control, dust control, and construction.
These bulk water systems are automated, turnkey sites that run on a prepaid setup. To use one, set up an Austin Water account and prepay funds to the water hauler’s account.
The goals behind constructing these facilities were to conserve potable water for non-potable uses. Minimizing the use of hydrants for non-potable needs. Further it makes reclaimed water available to parties who don’t have direct access a City reclaimed water meter.
With an automated bulk reclaimed water system and monitoring software designed to track consumption and use, there is less need to burden employees with these regular monitoring tasks.
The reclaimed water system will track customer use through software, invoices, and usage reports, either on demand or automatically on schedule, ensuring accurate, straightforward billing and accounting.
Staff remotely suspend access when a customer falls behind on payments, and restore access upon resolution.
With an automated bulk water dispensing station, customers get exactly the water they need—no more.
And it’s tracked down to the gallon, keeping waste minimal and costs low. Haulers enter the exact amount of water they need, and if they make a mistake, they can always press an emergency stop button.
Once again, the automated process eliminates human error and dispenses the precise volume required.
Nothing more, nothing less. Advanced algorithms in the system’s software allow the valve to close precisely at the desired volume without hammering your distribution system.
By allowing municipalities or utilities to charge a fair price for reclaimed water used, accounting for all the water dispensed to haulers, there is potential to realize greater profit, as automation can reduce the need for onsite employees to manage access to the water reuse system.
Automatic reports capture exactly when, where, and how much water each customer buys, so the business stays easy to track.
Multiple water reuse systems can wirelessly (or wired) send data over the internet. Letting staff manage them all from a single location. Time is money, and an automated bulk water dispensing station will save time.
While automated bulk water reuse dispensing systems are ideal for municipalities and utilities for a variety of cost and safety reasons, they are also beneficial to water haulers.
The reclaimed water system can provide consumers with 24/7 access to water without relying on easily lost or damaged keys, fobs, or cards.
On-screen instructions walk the customer through the use of the bulk water system, making the reclaimed water system simple to use
The system simplifies recordkeeping for water haulers, with optional onsite receipts and automatic email delivery of electronic receipts and transaction reports on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis. Automated bulk water systems also show the customer their account balance with each purchase. Further easing the burden of accounting for the consumer.
Using the machine is similar to accessing a bank’s ATM (automatic teller machine). Upon account creation, the customer receives an access number and PIN—or multiple access numbers—based on their needs.
To use the machine:
- The user drives up to the facility
- Lines the filling port of the vehicle up with the filling arm or connects their hose
- Enter their customer ID information (access number and PIN)
- Enter the amount of water in gallons they need
- Presses the START button
To stop the flow at any time, there is a shut-off button
The demand for potable water in our communities is increasing, so installing water reuse systems to limit demand for potable water is the wave of the future.
Many companies can treat wastewater and produce reclaimed water that meets standards. Delivering a turnkey reclaimed water system puts recycled water in people’s hands—so they don’t waste precious potable supplies on uses reclaimed water can handle.
