Reclaimed water should be top priority, report finds
Eric Lindberg
Daily Sound
03/16/2010
Coastal communities throughout California flush away more than a billion gallons of fresh water every day by discharging wastewater into the Pacific Ocean, according to a report released yesterday by local nonprofit Heal the Ocean.
Essentially a detailed survey of wastewater dumped into ocean waters along the entire coast of California, the report highlights concerns about untreated chemical contaminants and the need to move toward reclaimed wastewater.
“Wastewater really is a waste of water,” said Hillary Hauser, executive director of Heal the Ocean. “We’re using drinking water in a really bad way.”
By adapting treatment plants to focus on reclaiming water, Heal the Ocean officials believe the state could solve two problems: stop widespread pollution of the ocean and address the lack of potable water needed to sustain the state’s future.
Titled the California Ocean Wastewater Discharge Report and Inventory, the study examined the state’s 43 wastewater treatment facilities and determined that only 312 million gallons are reclaimed daily for beneficial use.
“California has got a water problem, even though we just had rain,” Hauser said. “Meanwhile, we’re flushing out 1.35 billion gallons of fresh drinking water every day.”
The study called the use of potable water for waste disposal, and its subsequent discharge into the ocean, an outdated practice that is clearly a poor use of water and marine resources.
The amount of water used to treat and dump effluent into the ocean daily is roughly the same amount of water used every year by 2 million California households.
But before coastal wastewater facilities can start reclaiming water, many will need to make major improvements to tackle a critical issue: chemical pollution.
“Already known to carry a health risk, ocean wastewater discharge has become even more questionable as wastewater contains a growing number of contaminants of emerging concern,” according to the report.
The so-called CECs include ingredients found in everyday products such as antibacterial soaps, shampoos and pharmaceuticals, as well as other chemicals such as pesticides. Hauser said she had her own hand lotion analyzed during the study and the list of pollutants was disturbing.
“We’re all doing it unaware — unaware of the chemicals that we’re brushing our teeth with, that we’re rubbing into our skin and scalp,” she said. “Read the labels. If you can’t pronounce it, should it be going straight out into the ocean?”
Among its recommendations, the report highlighted the need for funding to improve and upgrade existing wastewater plants to deal with CECs, in addition to shifting the focus to reclaimed water.
Using recycled water as a supply for toilet flushing and irrigation, for example, are two ways to significantly reduce the waste of potable water.
The problem, Hauser said, is the lack of public awareness and appreciation for wastewater treatment. A major education campaign is needed to raise awareness about the benefits of high-quality recycled water and its potential to be cleaner than many drinking water supplies.
“We’re not here to beat up on wastewater plants,” she said. “We’re here to say wastewater plants need more funding.”
Heal the Ocean officials are distributing the report to water agencies and state officials throughout California and the United States. Hauser said the next step involves putting together a campaign to find funding for treatment upgrades and the eventual shift toward reclaimed water.
