San Diego accelerates construction of water recycling system: Pure Water San Diego.
In November 2014 the San Diego City Council unanimously approved plans to recycle sewage into drinking water.
What is the process? First, a system of plastic tubes and straws filter microbes and contaminants. Second, the water undergoes reverse-osmosis to screen organic material, salts and solids. The final step includes exposing the water to ultraviolet light and hydrogen peroxide to kill any remaining toxins.
The City Council recently announced the acceleration of its construction of the water recycling system - 30 million gallons of sewage a day will be recycled by 2021 instead of 2027.
Recycled water will be pumped into the Lake Miramar reservoir and the purification plant will use methane from the Miramar landfill as its power source.
The first phase will cost $1 billion.
Sources:
- “SD OKs landmark water recycling,” 18 November 2014 accessible at http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/2014/nov/18/water-recycling-sewer-tap-council-approves/.
- “San Diego accelerates water recycling,” 23 July 2016 accessible at http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/2016/jul/23/pure-water-recycle-san-diego-accelerate/.