Funding to Recycle Water is Untapped
The San Diego Union-Tribune features an article on the growing need for recycled wastewater in San Diego, considering the county imports 90 percent of its drinking water and the city has already identified tens of millions of dollars available for city-related water projects.
San Diego estimates that a new system would cost $210 million, even though Orange County’s recently completed system ended up costing $480 million. Los Angeles has recently discussed implementing the same program, nicknamed “toilet to tap.”
San Diego commissioned a study in 2006 that provided six options to solving the inevitable water shortage, with one being a wastewater treatment program that could service 21,000 homes a year at a cost of $1.85 per month to homeowners.
The County Water Authority has set a goal of all residents reducing water use by 20 gallons per day, but as much as 60 percent of water use in Southern California is from outside the homes. For more on water conservation, visit Earth 911’s Water page.
