Law of the Farm Principles Apply to Developing

Potable Reuse

Alan H. Plummer, Jr. P.EJune 14, 2012

Principles of the Farm

Principles of Farming

Takes time

Takes knowledgeand effort

Is a process

FarmingBegins with “THE END” in Mind

• Meet human and livestock food needs

• Apply effective farming practices– Historical successful processes– Research to advance farming technology– Implement proven technology advancements– Harvest a safe and quality product– Maintain the confidence of:

• Agricultural community • Regulatory entities • Public and Policy Makers ?

Prepare the Soil

• Know the soil characteristics and its capacity

• Prepare the soil• Cultivate the soil• Fertilize the soil

• Cannot procrastinate

Plant the Seed

• Must select the right seed• Plant at specific time• Plant the right way• Cannot procrastinate

Nurture

• Weed• Water• Hard Work• Cannot procrastinate

From sunrise… …to sunset

HarvestGood Quality and Safe Products

Principles of DevelopingPotable Reuse

Takes time

Takes sound scienceand technology / effort

Is a process

Potable Reuse DevelopmentProcesses

• Potable Reuse processes are evolving to address technology, regulatory, and public awareness issues

• This presentation is about technology process considerations

Potable Reuse DevelopmentBegins with “THE END” in Mind

• Reuse to help meet Texas water demands– State Water Plan – 1,500,000 acre feet/year– Potential Additional – 800,000 acre feet/year

• “The End” - Potable Reuse – Provide Dependable Safe Potable Reuse water– Gain Confidence of:

• Technical and scientific community ??• Regulatory entities ???• Public and Policy Makers ????

(Note: Define “The End” based on Sound Science)

Prepare the Reuse Water(Prepare the Soil)

• Define critical treated wastewater

quality characteristics TPDES Discharge Permit Criteria Unregulated constituents? Specific micro-organisms?

• Provide source water protection

Prepare the Reuse Water(Prepare the Soil)

• Prevent introduction of certain industrial constituents into wastewater

• Provide effective reliable wastewater treatment operations

• Perform monitoring to characterize treated wastewater

• Produce a high quality treated wastewater

Provide the Right Technology(Plant the Right Seed)

• Define Potable Reuse water critical characteristics ?? SDWA criteria Unregulated constituents? Specific micro-organisms?

• Establish required treatment performance

• Select candidate treatment processes

Apply the Right Technology(Plant the Right Seed)

• Perform appropriate research and pilot-scale testing to achieve targeted goals

• Select and scale up treatment processes to reliable full-scale operations

Implement and Operate the Right Technology

(Nurture the Right Way)

• Design and construct Potable Reuse water advanced treatment facilities

• Provide consistent and effective treatment operations

• Provide real-time monitoring

Harvest Success Factorsfor

Potable Reuse

• Define “The End”• Safe and Dependable Potable Reuse• Right level of Risk

• Don’t Procrastinate - Develop Texas• Technical Process • Regulatory Process• Public Awareness Process

TWCA MembershipKey Harvest Stakeholders

TWCA 2012 Reuse Committee Charge (1)

1. Identify impediments to implementing Potable Reuse in Texas related to:

• Technology

• Rules and regulations

• Public awareness and education

• Funding

TWCA 2012 Reuse Committee Charge (1) (cont.)

2. Identify potential strategies for removing or mitigating identified impediments.

3. Define actions to develop potential strategies, based on sound science and technology, for removing or mitigating identified impediments.

TWCA 2012 Reuse Committee Charge (1) (cont.)

4. Coordinate efforts of the Reuse Committee with other TWCA committees including but not limited to Water Quality, Water Laws, and Federal Affairs.

5. Coordinate efforts of the Reuse Committee with other water professional organizations including WateReuse Texas, Texas Section of AWWA, and WEAT.

TWCA 2012 Reuse Committee Charge (1) (cont.)

6. Coordinate efforts of the Reuse Committee with TCEQ AND TWDB

7. Report Reuse Committee findings and recommendations regarding the role of TWCA in advancing Reuse in Texas to the TWCA Board of Directors for consideration.

(1) Water ownership issues will not specifically be addressed as part of the Water Reuse Committee effort. However, ownership issues that are raised will be communicated to the Water Laws Committee for potential future consideration

HarvestSafe and Good Quality

Potable Reuse water