Ironhouse Sanitary District receives accolades for state-of-the-art wastewater recycling facility
Congressman Jerry McNerney hopes his new bill to invest in recycling projects will ensure water districts are frugal with the essential, but limited resource.
The WEST Act, or Water and Energy Sustainability through Technology Act, would put $12 billion into circulation for competitive grants that would go toward innovative recycled water projects.
On Friday, McNerney visited the Ironhouse Sanitary District to discuss his legislation and to tour the district’s state-of-the-art wastewater recycling facility that has been getting attention for its unique approach that produces some of the cleanest water in the state.
Chad Davisson, general manager for the Ironhouse Sanitary District, touted his facility’s membrane bioreactor basins and ultraviolet disinfection process.
“We look at what the end use of the water is and we’re trying to find the highest and best use to the community,” Davisson said.
The facility recycles approximately 4.3 million gallons of wastewater a day and can recycle 8 million gallons a day at peak capacity. Half of the water goes out to Jersey Island to irrigate ISD’s hay fields. Some gets used by residents at the free recycled water fill station, but Davisson has seen increasingly fewer people coming in after drought restrictions were lifted.
“In my two years here, I’ve seen one of the most significant droughts and one of the most significant rain events,” Davisson said. “It is interesting to see how quickly people forget that water sustainability is an ongoing challenge.”
Read more at: http://www.eastbaytimes.com/2017/08/12/lawmaker-proposes-water-recycling-bill-as-alternative-to-delta-tunnels-project/
