March 2009

U.S. Water News Online

SACRAMENTO — The Sacramento Regional County Sanitation District is exploring an idea to transform its treated wastewater into a municipal water source.

Local leaders are looking for someone to buy the treated wastewater that comes from the region's 1.4 million residents. Officials say the water could be used for habitat restoration, landscape irrigation or drinking water, among other uses.

State regulators are encouraging the idea, which already being is being employed in Orange County. It uses recycled wastewater to provide drinking water to 2.3 million resident.

The Sacramento area's waste stream has grown along with the region's population. Researchers have found that the amount of ammonia has more than doubled since 1985.

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