What would Potable Reuse mean for Ventura’s water supply?
Ventura's Water Supply
100% of Ventura’s drinking water supply comes from local sources including groundwater (35-55%), the Ventura River (10-30%), and Lake Casitas (35%). All of these supplies are under stress due to the drought. In times of drought, when more groundwater is pumped than is returned by rainfall, ocean water moves into the extra space in the aquifer. This process, called salt water intrusion, can make groundwater too salty to drink or use for agriculture. Due to expected future population growth and the risk of continued drought, the City of Ventura will need to increase its supply of drinking water. Ventura Water Pure, the City’s new Potable Reuse project, is an excellent option that will increase Ventura’s drinking water supply and help to sustain the City’s existing water resources.
What is Potable Reuse?
Potable Reuse is an advanced water treatment process that purifies recycled wastewater to near-distilled quality that surpasses all drinking water standards. Recycled water that has been treated at the Ventura Water Reclamation Facility travels to the Ventura Water Pure demonstration facility, where it undergoes the following purification steps:
After undergoing this advanced treatment process, the purified water is clean enough to be sent to the drinking water treatment plant and mixed with water from Lake Casitas, the Ventura River, and local groundwater supplies before it is sent to homes and businesses.
A similar water purification facility has been in use in Orange County since 2008, and communities in San Diego and Santa Clara County are currently planning new facilities that will use this cutting edge technology to increase their drinking water supplies. As the available drinking water supply from rivers, lakes, and groundwater is growing more scarce, potable reuse is becoming an essential water source for cities.
100% of Ventura’s drinking water supply comes from local sources including groundwater (35-55%), the Ventura River (10-30%), and Lake Casitas (35%). All of these supplies are under stress due to the drought. In times of drought, when more groundwater is pumped than is returned by rainfall, ocean water moves into the extra space in the aquifer. This process, called salt water intrusion, can make groundwater too salty to drink or use for agriculture. Due to expected future population growth and the risk of continued drought, the City of Ventura will need to increase its supply of drinking water. Ventura Water Pure, the City’s new Potable Reuse project, is an excellent option that will increase Ventura’s drinking water supply and help to sustain the City’s existing water resources.
What is Potable Reuse?
Potable Reuse is an advanced water treatment process that purifies recycled wastewater to near-distilled quality that surpasses all drinking water standards. Recycled water that has been treated at the Ventura Water Reclamation Facility travels to the Ventura Water Pure demonstration facility, where it undergoes the following purification steps:
- Pasteurization: Highly treated wastewater is flash-heated to disinfect the water and kill any remaining viruses and bacteria.
- Microfiltration: The disinfected water passes through a microfiltration system that removes bacteria and some viruses from the water.
- Reverse Osmosis: The water is then pushed at high pressures through reverse osmosis membranes that remove dissolved chemicals, viruses, pharmaceuticals, and even minerals. Reverse osmosis is the same process used to purify seawater in desalination and produces water that is close to distilled quality.
- UV Disinfection/Advanced Oxidation: The final steps in the Potable Reuse process are disinfection with ultraviolet (UV) light and advanced oxidation with hydrogen peroxide. These steps ensure that any remaining unwanted chemicals in the water are destroyed.
After undergoing this advanced treatment process, the purified water is clean enough to be sent to the drinking water treatment plant and mixed with water from Lake Casitas, the Ventura River, and local groundwater supplies before it is sent to homes and businesses.
A similar water purification facility has been in use in Orange County since 2008, and communities in San Diego and Santa Clara County are currently planning new facilities that will use this cutting edge technology to increase their drinking water supplies. As the available drinking water supply from rivers, lakes, and groundwater is growing more scarce, potable reuse is becoming an essential water source for cities.
How will Ventura benefit from using Potable Reuse?
- Provides a drought-proof, sustainable, and local water supply that Ventura can rely on in the future
- Improves Ventura’s overall drinking water quality
- Increases water supply at a lower cost than other new drinking water sources like desalination and imported water supplies
- Makes use of a water resource that is currently underutilized and primarily being released into the Santa Clara River Estuary
- Decreases the amount of treated wastewater that is released to the Santa Clara River Estuary and Pacific Ocean
- Takes pressure off surface and groundwater supplies, reducing the threat of saltwater intrusion and ecosystem degradation
Neat, huh?
Want to learn more? Watch these short animated videos by the Water Reuse Foundation.
|
|