Recycled Drinking Water and the Yuck Factor
Water Purification Technology In the U.
S.
, more than 2.
1 trillion gallons of water are flushed down toilets every year.
What most people think of as sewage, is a freshwater reserve that , with a few methods or water purification, could provide drinking water for millions.
Recognizing this, Orange County's water and sanitation district have begun recycling sewage into drinking water.
The treated water which exceeds state and federal health standards is being used to recharge the underground aquifer that feeds the taps of more than 2.
3 million residents of the region.
According to officials, Orange county is under a severe challenge after an eight year drought on the Colorado River and imports are reduced by about 1/3rd.
(If this keeps up, maybe we will not need shower filters).
The treatment center purifies water that would otherwise be dumped into the Pacific Ocean, creating about 70 million gallons of pure water per day.
Methods of Water Purification Water purification technology starts with sewage treatment which removes solid wastes and uses microorganisms to break down organic materials.
The water then heads to recycling facility for purification.
It passes at low pressure through an ultrafine filter that strains out particulate matter, bacteria, and the single celled organisms known as protozoans (amoeba and their kin).
Next comes reverse osmosis, in which the water is forced through a plastic membrane at high pressure to remove even tinier pollutants, like viruses, salts, and pesticides.
Treatment with hydrogen peroxide and ultraviolet light completes the process.
Are you over the yuck factor yet? I am not, and I am debating about how I would handle the knowledge that my drinking water had once inhabited a toilet bowl.
I think I would want to make sure that there were more filters in place, definitely a shower filter, and at my sink too.
As I imagine myself camping, I would feel safe if I were able to distill the local water, or use one of those sanitizing pills available for drinking water.
So maybe it is possible for this me to get over the yuck factor.
In San Diego, a proposal to recycle sewage water was rejected in 1999 because 69% of voters said they did not trust the water purification technology or the recycling process.
I can certainly understand that distrust, which is why I would want shower water filters in place.
However, I am reading that the astronauts aboard the Space Shuttle will soon have a recycling plant which recycles drinking and tooth brushing water, sweat, and even urine.
If they can do it, I guess I can too.
But maybe only after a lot of disassociation.
S.
, more than 2.
1 trillion gallons of water are flushed down toilets every year.
What most people think of as sewage, is a freshwater reserve that , with a few methods or water purification, could provide drinking water for millions.
Recognizing this, Orange County's water and sanitation district have begun recycling sewage into drinking water.
The treated water which exceeds state and federal health standards is being used to recharge the underground aquifer that feeds the taps of more than 2.
3 million residents of the region.
According to officials, Orange county is under a severe challenge after an eight year drought on the Colorado River and imports are reduced by about 1/3rd.
(If this keeps up, maybe we will not need shower filters).
The treatment center purifies water that would otherwise be dumped into the Pacific Ocean, creating about 70 million gallons of pure water per day.
Methods of Water Purification Water purification technology starts with sewage treatment which removes solid wastes and uses microorganisms to break down organic materials.
The water then heads to recycling facility for purification.
It passes at low pressure through an ultrafine filter that strains out particulate matter, bacteria, and the single celled organisms known as protozoans (amoeba and their kin).
Next comes reverse osmosis, in which the water is forced through a plastic membrane at high pressure to remove even tinier pollutants, like viruses, salts, and pesticides.
Treatment with hydrogen peroxide and ultraviolet light completes the process.
Are you over the yuck factor yet? I am not, and I am debating about how I would handle the knowledge that my drinking water had once inhabited a toilet bowl.
I think I would want to make sure that there were more filters in place, definitely a shower filter, and at my sink too.
As I imagine myself camping, I would feel safe if I were able to distill the local water, or use one of those sanitizing pills available for drinking water.
So maybe it is possible for this me to get over the yuck factor.
In San Diego, a proposal to recycle sewage water was rejected in 1999 because 69% of voters said they did not trust the water purification technology or the recycling process.
I can certainly understand that distrust, which is why I would want shower water filters in place.
However, I am reading that the astronauts aboard the Space Shuttle will soon have a recycling plant which recycles drinking and tooth brushing water, sweat, and even urine.
If they can do it, I guess I can too.
But maybe only after a lot of disassociation.
Source...