Water. desalination + reuse

Desalination the only way to avert drought disaster US jury says | 32 | Desalination & Water Reuse | August-September 2014 Regulators stymie desalination proposal by New York utility New York regulators recently dashed a bid by utility, United Water New York to build a desalination plant after customers rejected the water firm's proposed up-front price hikes to meet the cost of the plant. United Water had applied to the state for the permission to raise bills by US$ 56.8 million to fund a desalination plant on the Hudson River. But the New York State Public Service Commission (PSC) blocked that when it put back a decision about Rockland County's long-term water needs from 2015 to 2020. The desalination proposal was unpopular locally. "Local opposition to the plant included 17 elected officials, 26,000 petition signatures, resolutions by four Rockland towns and 12 villages and almost 2,000 people attending an October, 2013 Public Service Commission hearing," according to a newspaper report citing PSC documents. Consumer opposition to the proposal centered on rate hikes. The utility estimated that were the surcharge approved, the average residential water bill would increase by 8.08%. Opponents of the scheme speaking at community meetings in Rockland, NY were reported in the local press to have emphasized their disgust at the prospect of drinking water originating from the Hudson River. Lawyer for municipalities opposing the plan, Daniel Duthie, was reported to have said: "Nobody wants to be drinking brackish Hudson River water that is drawn a couple of miles downstream from the Indian Point nuclear plant." Texas gives go-ahead to potable reuse project regions NORTH AMERICA The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality has conditionally approved full-scale operation of Wichita Falls' temporary direct potable reuse (DPR) project. The approval was for up to six months. The project will turn wastewater into drinking water to provide relief for the city of Wichita Falls as it deals with an historic drought. Lake levels are under 24% capacity and unprecedented, high level restrictions on water use are in force. The city in March this year first submitted its proposed project to the commission, but was told further verification testing would be required in early May. From the findings of those tests the commission has determined that the water produced by the DPR project meets all state and federal standards. Conditional approval is dependent on Wichita Falls complying with requirements relating to design, operations, monitoring reporting, and automatic alarms and shutdowns at the treatment plant that were outlined in the approval letter. A California civil grand jury has ruled that a desalination plant for Santa Cruz County is the only single solution to averting an environmental disaster created by water shortages as a statewide drought continues. Santa Cruz mayor, Lynn Robinson, warned that the region needed a back up water supply. "Our water future could include shortfalls as high as 40%, and some level of mandatory water use restrictions imposed every two to three years," Robinson said. The city of Santa Cruz and the Soquel Creek Water District were reported to have proposed a desalination plant in the region but ran into opposition from Santa Cruz residents, on cost grounds. But the civil grand jury said that the city of Santa Cruz "did not adequately inform its citizens of the need for water alternatives." As an example the jury said the city published maps that indicated the impact on the neighbourhood of the proposed site were greater than likely. Along with calling for the plan to be brought to the voters, the civil grand jury also recommended exploring interagency water transfers and recycled water. Meanwhile the city of San Diego has recently started construction on what is claimed will be the largest desalination plant in the western hemisphere. Oklahoma passes bill to promote water reuse Oklahoma recently passed legislation to promote water reuse within the state. The Senate Bill "would require state agencies to create a permitting process for [water reuse] projects," the legislation said. The new law will: "encourage water districts and municipalities to expand the state's supply of water through reuse and conservation," said senator Rob Standridge, who wrote the bill. "To broaden our supply of safe, local water, municipalities, and water districts need to be able to take advantage of proven technologies for conservation and reuse. This legislation will facilitate projects that can help us secure our water needs well into the future," he said.

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