January 23, 1996, Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce
Presented by
The Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce Recycled Water Information Clearinghouse,
Central Basin Municipal Water District and West Basin Municipal Water District
in association with
The Southern California Council on Environment and Development (SCCED)Introduction — Ray Remy, President, Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce
We are pleased to be part of the Recycled Water Information Clearinghouse because it gives us a chance to be part of solving a very important issue for business in our area — sufficient supplies of reasonably priced water. We like the idea of business, government and environmentalists sitting around the table to find common solutions. It seems hard to get elected officials in Southern California interested in water issues, but in the Northern California, people are more concerned about it.
The Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce will continue to be very active in water issues, especially with the involvement of both Dennis Paulson, the First Vice President, and Ron Lamb, the Vice President for Governmental Relations.
Water Supply and Demand for Economic Development — Richard Atwater, West Basin MWD
All of us in the water supply business want to talk to you about how we can provide you better water at less cost, and protect the environment at the same time — and the secret is recycled water.
The West Basin and Central Basin MWDs have over 150 major business customers using recycled water, including Exxon, LAX, golf courses, nurseries, as well using it for groundwater replenishment. We have taken advantage of the construction of the Century freeway to put new pipes into the Downy Springs area, opening up the opportunity for many more customers to use recycled water.
Water from Water, a new video by the National Water District Institute, which is funded by the Irvine Family to do research on water issues, with emphasis on outreach.
The video says that only 1% of water is currently being actively recycled in the U.S., but every drop of water in nature is recycled many times, in fact the total amount of water on earth never changes, only the distribution of it varies. Nature uses rocks and sand in streams, and percolation through rock to clean water for us. In our plants we are just repeating naturešs processes.
Water recycling has been used across the country for many years. For example, Clayton Georgia is using recycled water to irrigate natural forests and other land.
Michael Cook, USEPA, has found recycled water is of very high quality. For example, the Upper Occupan Sewage Treatment Authority provides a source of drinking water for parts of Virginia.
In Yuma, Arizona, the nationšs largest recycling facility of runoff from agriculture, desalts the water and puts it into the river for reuse. In heavy industry, Bethlehem Steel has been using treated sewage water since 1942.
In the Irvine Ranch Water District the reclamation system makes water available for landscaping. Using a drip irrigation system eliminates evaporation and runoff, and a subsurface irrigation eliminates a muddy soccer field.
The challenge is the publicšs perception, but as our population grows, we have to balance the agriculture and municipal uses of water. We know the public will have confidence as long as the treatment plants are functioning well.
State Policies and Support for Water Recycling — Mike Hoover, HYA Associates
The State of California recognizes water recycling as a win-win opportunity, so it is popular topic, with a number of bills proposed every session. People recognize the state will be short of water, by perhaps 3 – 5 million acre-feet per year (AFY) in next 20 years.
There is a California action plan for water recycling. I have put together the 90 California statues on water recycling. The California Water Reclamation Act of 1991 set goals of recycling 700,000 AFY by 2000 and 1 million AFY by 2010, but more is needed. The Urban Water Management Act says that planning to consider recycling water is required for all new construction, but actual usage is not. Another act ensures that industries using recycled water receive relief on water and sewage bills. There is a mandate that businesses consider maximizing opportunities for water reuse in irrigation, industrial supply, cooling system, toilet flushing, etc. But California has a reasonable use doctrine that balances reasonableness against beneficial uses.
Who Uses Recycled Water Now?– Tom Holliman, Long Beach Water Department
Use of reclaimed water is increasing across the state. In 1989, it was 150,000 AFY, by the year 2000, we estimate at least 1 million AFY, and by 2010, over 1.4 million AFY.
Statewide, 53% of recycled water goes to agriculture, 21% to ground water recharge, 17% for landscapes, and only 2% to business. Since recycled water is less costly, L.A. is showing big increases in business use of reclaimed water. We are aiming to reduce the price of recycled water to 48% of potable water. Remember that so far 1995-96 is in a drought rainfall pattern, but the supply of recycled water is always reliable.
What Current Users Say about Recycled Water
— Chris Spurrell, Chevron El Segundo Refinery
We process more water than oil in our refinery. We built it on the coast to use sea water for cooling water, but we have found recycled water works better in many of our cooling applications. Right now wešre using 10,000 gallons per minute (gpm) (14 million gallons per day), allowing 4,000 gpm to evaporate.
Wešve found the recycled water has just a little more phosphate than drinking water, but by adding chemicals to reduce scale, we are reusing it five cycles before flushing. The bottom line is we are actually getting better performance than from drinking water, and it is cheaper. So wešre bringing recycled water on for the rest of the refinery.
— Chuck Jones, Tuftex Industries, Santa Fe Springs
We make carpets for businesses and homes. We use a million gallons a day to carry the dye as we color the carpet, using 20 pounds of water for every pound of carpet. We need to control the chemicals in the water for the dye to work well. At first we found the reclaimed water had a rotten egg odor, and without the chlorine in it, we got bacteria growth in our tanks. With a lot of work to get the pH where we want it, now it works well.
Before using recycled water, our re-dye jobs were 7% of production. Now they are half of that, now down to 3% (much lower than any other factory in the business), because our water is more stable. It is costing us less money to buffer it than before, and the cost of the water is less, so we are pleased.
Cost Savings and Benefits of Recycled Water — Jim Graham, Las Virgenes MWD
We are recycling over 3,000 AFY for landscape irrigation purposes. Our Board of Directors is pricing reclaimed water at 75% of the cost of potable. It is a drought-proof supply — there are no drought restrictions placed on use of reclaimed water.
The plant nutrients in the recycled water have enabled our customers to eliminate the use of lawn fertilizers, and they save on their sewage charges.
The only expense is the plumbing conversion (it would be best if installation was done at the beginning), but the expense is recouped in a short time. Since schools have no capital funds available, we developed a painless conversion financing, in which they would pay potable water rates until they paid back our loan. The $30,000 was recouped in less than 3 years. We have recycling very successful, the community has embraced it whole-heartedly.
What Does It Take To Go From Potable to Recycled? — Earle Hartling, Recycling Coordinator, L.A. County Sanitation District
All water on the planet has been reused many times (as someone said, we all are drinking dinosaur pee). Our agency collects and treats waste water and provides a very clean reusable source of water. We are pleased that SCCED has helped to get the business community on board in support of recycled water.
One of the main reasons for reusing reclaimed water is that, if there is a water shortage, recycled water is dependable. In fact, the cost of water is not as important as reliability of water supply for most businesses, such as refineries, concrete manufacturers, golf courses, cemeteries, etc.
The County Sanitation District has 10 reclamation plants capable of providing over 200 million gallons per day. Our intent is to divert any additional increased flow since 1962 to reclamation facilities. We manufacture reclaimed water and provide it to the water purveyors to get it to your door. They build another infrastructure, with pipes and pumps, coded with the purple pipe color. The water is actually drinking water quality but the State does not allow it to be mixed with potable water, they put in back check valves, etc. You donšt have to say the water is dangerous, you just have to say ŗDonšt drink this water,˛ and mark the pipes in purple.
Recycled water distribution lines are expanding and the cost is lowering. Cost savings vary from 28% to 80% of the cost of potable.
Questions and Answers — Adán Ortega, Central Basin MWD
Q: What is the Recycled Water Information Clearinghouse?
A. The Clearinghouse was established in 1994 to inform business and the community about the issue. The Chamber has prepared a position paper on water, including recycled water. We want to outreach to business, to hold seminars across the 5 county region.
Q: Can recycled water be used around homes?
A. Yes, it can be used in greenbelt areas around homes, Las Virgenes has one home irrigated with reclaimed water. Some home owners associations use it to water lawns, but California Health authorities does not want it readily available to the average home owner because of concern he might get the pipes mixed up. In Florida and other areas it is used for yards and for toilets.
Q: Will recycled water be available in Wilmington?
A: Yes, soon.
Q. Are there any cost savings for recycling water back into the system?
A: Sewage treatment cost is the same to us, but if we can use smaller diameter sewer lines, that saves money. Sacramento is discharging secondary treated effluent into the Sacramento river which is reused by other cities. Whittier Narrows is using it for recharging groundwater, which is then used for drinking supplies. Someone has calculated that New Orleans water has gone through 5 people before they pump it from the Mississippi for their water supply.
Q: What about health risks?
A: Ca