California Approves Wastewater Recycling for Drinking Water

New rules, surpassing regular water treatment standards, pave the way for large-scale recycling plants amid ongoing water security issues.

California regulators have approved new rules allowing water agencies to recycle wastewater and put it directly back into the drinking water system, a significant step for a state that has struggled to secure reliable water sources for decades.
The new rules, which took over 10 years to develop, require the wastewater to be treated for all pathogens and viruses, even those not present in the wastewater, a requirement that exceeds regular water treatment rules.
Some of California's largest water agencies, serving millions of people, have plans to build large water recycling plants in the coming years, with projects in San Diego aiming to account for nearly half of the city's water by 2035.
The process of treating the wastewater is so stringent that it removes all minerals that give fresh drinking water its taste, meaning they have to be added back at the end of the process.
Public support will be crucial for these projects to succeed, with water agencies needing to convince customers that not only is recycled water safe to drink, but it's not unpleasant.