How Many People Drink Water from a Wastewater Treatment Plant

Water is essential for life, and access to clean and safe drinking water is a basic human right. To ensure that people have access to safe drinking water, wastewater treatment plants play a crucial role in treating wastewater and converting it into potable water. But how many people actually drink water from a wastewater treatment plant?

The Process of Treating Wastewater

Before we answer that question, let's first look at the process of treating wastewater. Wastewater from homes, businesses, and industries is first collected in sewer pipes and transported to a wastewater treatment plant. Once there, it undergoes a series of treatment processes that remove contaminants such as bacteria, viruses, chemicals, and solids. The treated wastewater is then disinfected with chlorine or ultraviolet light before it is released into a nearby water body, such as a river, lake or ocean.

Drinking Water Production from Wastewater

However, some wastewater treatment plants take the process further, by treating the disinfected wastewater to produce drinking water. The treated wastewater is further purified using advanced treatment technologies such as reverse osmosis or membrane filtration, which removes any remaining impurities, including viruses and chemicals. The result is water that is safe and clean to drink.

Water Reuse in the United States

Water reuse, which involves treating wastewater for reuse, is gaining popularity as a way to supplement water supplies and reduce demands on freshwater sources. According to a 2016 report from the Water Research Foundation, the United States produces enough reclaimed water to irrigate 7 million acres of farmland, and provide drinking water for over 25 million people.

Cities That Use Reclaimed Water for Drinking

So, which cities use reclaimed water for drinking? One example is the City of Wichita Falls, Texas, which faced a severe drought that depleted the city's water sources. In response, the city built a state-of-the-art wastewater treatment plant that treats wastewater to produce drinking water. Today, Wichita Falls is one of the few cities in the United States that is using reclaimed water to augment its water supply.

Another example is the City of San Diego, California, which has been experimenting with a water reuse program since the 1990s. The city's Water Purification Demonstration Project, which began operation in 2011, treats wastewater to produce drinking water. The purified water is then blended with the city's water supply and distributed to customers. The city plans to increase the use of purified water to 30% of its drinking water supply by 2035.

Conclusion

In conclusion, wastewater treatment plants play a critical role in ensuring that people have access to clean and safe drinking water. Some wastewater treatment plants go beyond treating wastewater for discharge into water bodies and treat the water to produce potable water. Water reuse is becoming more widespread, and cities such as Wichita Falls and San Diego are leading the way in providing safe and reliable drinking water from wastewater treatment plants.