While San Diego city officials debate the future of indirect potable reuse of treated wastewater (that’s “toilet-to-tap” to all those haters), Tijuana is taking slow steps towards its own water reclamation program.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is giving the Baja city a $152,000 grant to study the feasibility of water reuse. The study aims to identify areas suitable for wastewater reuse and will evaluate the city’s infrastructure needs – as well as just how much water could be reused in both Tijuana and Rosarito.
Tijuana has been taking steps toward a water reclamation program, though the State Water Resources Control Board has questioned whether it may do more harm than good, by actually increasing tainted wastewater runoff. For background, read my March story.
For those following San Diego City Council’s water reuse debate, it’s important to note a difference between the two plans. Tijuana is looking to recycle water for irrigation uses.
San Diego has been considering water reuse to boost drinking water supplies. That program would use recycled, treated wastewater to infuse the area’s reservoirs with a non-imported water source.
It has met with a mixed reaction from politicians. The background on that topic is here.