Water filtration technology has advanced to the
point where wastewater can be rendered safe for drinking, according to a
new report, but legislative and psychological hurdles will need to be
overcome before widespread adoption can happen.
“Expanding
water reuse could significantly increase the nation’s water resource,
particularly in coastal communities,” said Rhodes Trussell, president of
Trussell Technologies in Pasadena, California, and chair of the
committee that wrote the report.
Treated wastewater,
also known as reclaimed water, is commonly used for irrigation and
industry. And many towns already rely on reused water simply because
they draw water downstream from other municipalities’ wastewater release
pipes.
“De facto reuse takes place throughout the country,” Trussell said.
But getting the public to knowingly drink treated wastewater has been a tough sell.
