Why Should We Be Concerned About

Wastewater Quality and Reuse?

Why Should We Be Concerned About

Wastewater Quality and Reuse?

Fred Corson, Ph.D.Fred Corson, Ph.D.

Why Am I Concerned?Why Am I Concerned?

• Pertinent Regulations• Contaminants of Concern• Groundwater Contamination• Future actions?

• Pertinent Regulations• Contaminants of Concern• Groundwater Contamination• Future actions?

Pertinent RegulationsPertinent Regulations

• Safe Drinking Water Act• Clean Water Act• Title 22• Antidegradation Policy

• Safe Drinking Water Act• Clean Water Act• Title 22• Antidegradation Policy

Safe Drinking Water Act & Clean Water Act

Safe Drinking Water Act & Clean Water Act

• Regulate Only 127 Chemicals of 87,000 chemicals produced!!

• Regulate Only 127 Chemicals of 87,000 chemicals produced!!

Pertinent RegulationsPertinent Regulations

• Safe Drinking Water Act• Clean Water Act• Title 22• Antidegradation Policy

• Safe Drinking Water Act• Clean Water Act• Title 22• Antidegradation Policy

Emerging Wastewater Contaminants of ConcernEmerging Wastewater Contaminants of Concern

• Currently unregulated organic chemicals

• Growing Items of Commerce

• Drugs, hormones, detergents

• Plasticizers, pesticides, fire retardants

• Hormonally active at very low concentrations

• Currently unregulated organic chemicals

• Growing Items of Commerce

• Drugs, hormones, detergents

• Plasticizers, pesticides, fire retardants

• Hormonally active at very low concentrations

Santa Rosa WastewaterSanta Rosa Wastewater

• Copper, lead, nickel, cyanide

• Excessive nutrients

• Up to 60 mg/l total organic carbon

• Most organics unidentified

• Endocrine disruption activity observed

• Copper, lead, nickel, cyanide

• Excessive nutrients

• Up to 60 mg/l total organic carbon

• Most organics unidentified

• Endocrine disruption activity observed

Groundwater ContaminationGroundwater Contamination

• Percolation from storage and Laguna

• Percolation under current reuse projects

• Major new urban reuse proposed

• Major north county ag reuse proposed

• Nature of treatment process

• Percolation from storage and Laguna

• Percolation under current reuse projects

• Major new urban reuse proposed

• Major north county ag reuse proposed

• Nature of treatment process

In Singapore RO wateris bottled and sold

In Singapore RO wateris bottled and sold

Orange county recharges aquifers with RO water

Orange county recharges aquifers with RO water

Ultimate Solution: Reverse Osmosis TreatmentUltimate Solution: Reverse Osmosis Treatment

Ultimate Solution:Reverse Osmosis TreatmentUltimate Solution:Reverse Osmosis Treatment

• Increasing value of clean water• Decreasing cost of treatment• Tightening regulations

• Increasing value of clean water• Decreasing cost of treatment• Tightening regulations

Strategy:Accelerate Decision to use ROStrategy:Accelerate Decision to use RO

• Data on organic contaminants in municipal wastewater

• Data on effectiveness of current RO facilities• Data on organic contaminants in Santa Rosa

wastewater• Increase costs for interim options via CEQA and

regulatory processes

• Data on organic contaminants in municipal wastewater

• Data on effectiveness of current RO facilities• Data on organic contaminants in Santa Rosa

wastewater• Increase costs for interim options via CEQA and

regulatory processes

North Coast Regional Water Quality Control BoardNorth Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board

• Tough updated discharge permit• New permit required for discharge

relocation• New requirements for wastewater reuse

• Tough updated discharge permit• New permit required for discharge

relocation• New requirements for wastewater reuse

New Requirements for Wastewater ReuseNew Requirements for Wastewater Reuse

• Meet same effluent limitations as discharge• No surface runoff from reuse area• No groundwater degradation• Groundwater quality study

• Meet same effluent limitations as discharge• No surface runoff from reuse area• No groundwater degradation• Groundwater quality study

• Regulations are improving• Wastewater contains organic contaminants• Human health and environmental impacts are

likely• Contaminants can and must be removed• Must accelerate move to RO• Progress is being made

• Regulations are improving• Wastewater contains organic contaminants• Human health and environmental impacts are

likely• Contaminants can and must be removed• Must accelerate move to RO• Progress is being made

What Can Each of Us Do?What Can Each of Us Do?

• Understand wastewater regulations

• Understand wastewater quality concerns

• Input into all stages of CEQA process

• Input into permitting process for discharge and reuse

• Understand wastewater regulations

• Understand wastewater quality concerns

• Input into all stages of CEQA process

• Input into permitting process for discharge and reuse

Thank you!Thank you!

Questions?

Questions?