Facing Extreme Drought and A Booming Population, Texans May Soon Be Drinking Treated Sewage Water

HEREJohn Laumer Design / Sustainable Product Design November 20, 2011

In Texas, the water flowing from sewage plants — effluent — isn’t just for golf courses any more. It’s for drinking!

As The Houston Chronicle reports: “Wastewater — the water that runs down the drain as you brush your teeth, wash dishes and clothes, shower and flush your toilet — will be increasingly important to Texas’ future. The 2012 state water plan predicts use of so-called “reclaimed water” will grow by about 50 percent by 2060, to 614,000 acre-feet per year, or more than 20 million gallons.”

Texas water suppliers plan to blend a small portion of the highly treated effluent, as necessary, with more ‘natural’ waters — presumably to dilute the wretch factor. If the extreme Texas drought continues apace, however, they might have tip the balance more toward the straight effluent, no chaser, blend.

I know plenty of people who are already grossed out by the prospects of drinking perfectly fine tap water from clean river and ground water sources. They want charcoal filters between them and the great corporate polluter phantom. In general, then, I’d say this development is going to be very good for Texas sales of bottled water and point-of-use water filters.

Full report HERE