Direct Potable Reuse in Colorado:Regulatory Framework and the

PureWater Colorado Demonstration

Water Resources Review CommitteeJune 19, 2018 – Denver, Colorado

John Rehring, P.E.Carollo Engineers/

WateReuse Colorado

Ron Falco, P.E.CDPHE WQCD

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Some quick* definitions

Non-potable reuse (Reg. 84)

Indirect potable reuse (IPR)

Direct potable reuse (DPR)

WRFIrrigation / Commercial /

Industrial Users

WTFWRF

WRF

Surface Water orGroundwater Augmentation

AdvancedWTF

* DPR regulatory effortwill add specificity!

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Non-potablereuse

Somesurface

water IPR

No DPRprojects inplace orimminent

What’s the role of reuse in Colorado?

2050POPULATION

~2X

M&I SUPPLYGAP

560KAC-FT/ YEAR

“... potable reusewill be an

important facetof closing the...

gap”

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Why is interest in DPR growing in Colorado?

Year-roundsupply demand

Year-rounddemand distribution

No dualdistribution

Others have“gone first”

Increasingly cost-competitivevs. traditional supplies

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Two quotes help us put potable reuse incontext

It “rains” every dayat the wastewatertreatment plant!

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Water shouldbe judged byits quality –

not its history!

Two quotes help us put potable reuse incontext

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WateReuse Colorado Project proactivelysupports DPR implementation in Colorado

RegulatoryframeworkRegulatoryframework

Outreachtools andproducts

Outreachtools andproducts

Planningtools toassessDPR

options

Planningtools toassessDPR

options

DPR PROJECT OUTCOMES

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City of Aurora

Town of Castle Rock

Centennial

Colorado Springs Utilities

Denver Water

Consultants & NGOs

PCWRASMWSA

Water Industry Associations

Colorado Water Conservation BoardWater Supply Reserve Account Grant

WateReuse Colorado DPR project collaboratorsincluded leading utilities and organizations

CDPHE

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WateReuse DPR Project WorkgroupsTackled Regulatory and Outreach Topics

FourWorkgroupMeetings

NationalPerspectives& Experience

ColoradoPriorities

Colorado DPRRegulatoryFramework

Communicationsand Outreach Plan

Regulatory Development

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ALIGNMENT

Why develop DPR regulations?

DPRRegs

Confidence in public healthprotection

Certainty in planningfor Utilities / Water Providers

Public Acceptance

Water ProvidersCDPHE WQCDStakeholders

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When is the right time to develop DPRregulations?

Before aDPR

project isproposed

Concurrentwith a

project’sdesign

During orafter

startup of aproject

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Flexibility and adaptability throughColorado’s established reg structure

Fundamental,enforceablerequirements

Interprets theRegulation

Bestpractices

Fosters public confidence

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Water QualityControl

CommissionRulemaking

Reg / Policy /Guidance

Develop

Standards

DevelopTreatment andMonitoringStandards

DevelopImplementationPrograms

UnresolvedIssues:

Timeline

Early 2018:WateReuseColoradoReg / Policy /GuidanceFramework

Path from framework to regulation

Resources

Develop

Standards

DevelopTreatment andMonitoringStandards

CWCB grant and in-kind contributions

Independent Advisory Panel

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Future Efforts and Water QualityCommission Role

• Secure funding/resources for rulemaking andimplementation in 2019 or 202_?

– Staff (FTE)

– Expenses for operating and A.G. support ($)

– Database ($)

• Division-led stakeholder effort

• Division develops regulatory proposal

• Formal rulemaking to address DPR

• Flesh out the framework with completedpolicies and guidance

Outreach at thePureWater Colorado

Demonstration Project

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PureWater Colorado Demonstration Basics

Who

• WateReuse Colorado, Carollo Engineers, and Denver Water• Plus many project partners collaborating to make this happen!

What

• Purifying secondary treated wastewater to drinking waterstandards

When• January through mid-April 2018

Where• Hosted at Denver Water Recycling Plant

Why

• Provide physical context to DPR regulatory and public outreachwork and demonstrate the ability to purify recycled water

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PureWaterColoradoDemonstrationProcesses

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Tours Reached a Wide Audience

State legislators (WRRC/staff)

State agencies – CDPHE, CWCB

Chamber of Commerce

Water utility managers

Bureau of Reclamation

University students and faculty

AWWA and WateReuse Colorado

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The Project Received Broad Media Coverage

• Coverage on all majorDenver TV networks aswell as print/social media

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Ongoing Outreach from the PureWaterColorado project

Outreach Events and Scholarships

Materials Available for Future Outreach

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Takeaways

Significant progress in preparing Colorado toimplement DPR projects

Still some needs for regulatory development

Model of success – partnerships and collaborationbetween utilities, CDPHE, and engineering firms

Outreach, regulatory development, and publicconfidence are all interlinked

Direct Potable Reuse in Colorado:Regulatory Framework and the

PureWater Colorado Demonstration

Water Resources Review CommitteeJune 19, 2018 – Denver, Colorado

John Rehring, P.E.Carollo Engineers/

WateReuse Colorado

Ron Falco, P.E.CDPHE WQCD