Recent and Upcoming Water Reuse Activities

This page highlights recent or upcoming accomplishments and activities relevant to water reuse. Most items on this page are associated with the National Water Reuse Action Plan (WRAP), which is a coordinated and collaborative effort across the water community to advance consideration of reuse to ensure the security, sustainability, and resilience of our nation’s water resources.

 

 

Publications

The EPA Publishes a Framework for Microbial Treatment Targets for Water Reuse. This “Risk-Based Framework for Developing Microbial Treatment Targets for Water Reuse” publication provides detailed scientific information that state regulators can use to develop their own risk assessments and microbial treatment targets that support safe potable and non-potable water reuse. (Action 3.1: Compile Existing Fit-for-Purpose Specifications)

The U.S. Geological Survey Releases the National Water Availability Assessment. This first-of-its-kind assessment reveals the distribution of water supply and demand across the United States. Offering crucial insights into water availability, the assessment employed modeling and analytical techniques to characterize water quality, shortages and surpluses across the nation. A new interactive website presents key findings from the report, which can help inform the development of future water reuse projects in water-limited communities.

Water Reuse Funding

The EPA Announces $110 Million Loan to Enhance Drinking Water Reliability in Drought-Prone Region of Utah. This loan, provided under the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA), will allow the Weber Basin Water Conservancy District of northern Utah to make numerous expansions and upgrades that will ultimately increase water supplies for consumers while advancing water reuse. This loan will help the district provide reliable drinking water to five counties, supporting over 20% of Utah’s population while creating local jobs to support the projects. (Action 6.2B: Support and Communicate WIFIA Funding)

The EPA Awards $2.4 Million to 24 Small Businesses for the Development of Environmental Technologies, Including Water Reuse Projects. The funding provided through the EPA's Small Business Innovation Research program will assist small businesses developing technologies to address public health and environmental challenges. Several selected projects focus on water quality which can support water reuse, including an effort to develop a nature-based absorbent technology to remove PFAS, pathogens and other contaminants from water. (Action 7.5: Coordinate and Promote Water Reuse Technology in Federal SBIR Programs)

The Bureau of Reclamation Awards $223 Million to 18 Water Recycling and Desalination Projects. The Title XVI Water Reclamation and Reuse and Desalination Programs support projects that address the impacts of drought in Western states by boosting the development of resilient water resources. The projects selected under these programs aim to produce over 305,000 acre-feet of recycled water annually through upgrades including a new advanced water purification facility in Phoenix, Arizona. Learn more about the selected projects here. (Action 6.5: Develop Reclamation’s Large-Scale Water Reuse Funding Opportunity)

The U.S. Department of Defense Seeks Proposals for Building-Scale Water Reuse Technology Solutions. The Environmental Security Technology Certification Program is soliciting demonstrations of building-scale water harvesting and reuse systems to support resilient military installation operations. Emphasis is placed on innovative onsite reuse technologies that balance cost-effectiveness and efficiency. Pre-proposals must be submitted by March 6, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. (ET).

The Environmental Finance Center Network Hosted a Webinar on Funding Strategies for Water Resource Planning. Designed to assist communities of all sizes, “Funding and Financing Strategies for Integrated Hazard Mitigation and Water Resource Plans” presents approaches to support water system managers as they develop and implement water resource management projects, including water reuse.

State Updates

Tennessee Publishes Water Reuse Webpage. The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation created a water reuse webpage that presents essential background information about potable and non-potable reuse, and answers key questions about the prevalence and drivers of water reuse projects. The page also features a description of the state’s current efforts to develop a potable reuse program.

New Mexico Bill Proposing Incentives for Brackish Water Reuse Advances to House Energy, Environment and Natural Resources Committee. The Strategic Water Supply Act (House Bill 137) aims to establish a fund to award grants and contracts to projects that advance brackish water reuse within New Mexico. The Act also aims to establish funding for research on the reuse of brackish water as well as produced water generated by the oil and gas industry.

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Looking for something?

This page is updated frequently. If you’re looking for previously posted content that is no longer here (e.g., a past webinar, published report), you may be able to find it in our Water Reuse Information Library or Curated Topical Reuse Resources page. The latest entry on the Topical Resources page spotlights onsite non-potable reuse.

Links to websites outside of the EPA website are provided for the convenience of the user. Inclusion of information about a website, an organization, a product, or a service does not represent endorsement or approval by EPA, nor does it represent EPA opinion, policy or guidance unless specifically indicated. EPA does not exercise any editorial control over the information that may be found at any non-EPA website.