1. University of Nevada
Advanced Water Treatment Technologies Demonstration Project
Western Regional Water Commission
June 21, 2017

2. Today's Topics
Reclaimed water use in the Truckee Meadows
Nevada reclaimed water regulations
Regional potable reuse feasibility study
UNR work update
Next steps
Discussion

3. Truckee Meadows Regional Water Reclamation
Reclaimed water is highly treated wastewater effluent
Region has decades of experience using reclaimed water for irrigation and industrial uses
15-million gallons per day in the summer
8,000 Acre-Feet Annually
10-percent of total regional water supply
Offers significant environmental benefits
“water reuse”, “reclaimed water”, “water recycling” – all describe using high quality wastewater effluent for community benefits

4. Nevada Reclaimed Water Regulations
Categories A through E
Safe for irrigation and industrial uses
Reno, Sparks, Washoe County reclaimed water systems based on categories “A” and “B”
Category A+, or Exceptional Quality [new 2016]
Drinking water quality achieved
Advanced water treatment
Natural purification processes

5. Exceptional Quality Potential Uses
Groundwater augmentation, potable, recreational or environmental uses
Storing and securing a drought proof water supply for the future
Diversify the region’s water supply portfolio while reducing reliance on the Truckee River
Governor’s Drought Forum recommended:
advanced reclaimed water treatment investigations
Support steering committee to create regulations

6. Reclaimed Water Feasibility Study
Determine if Nevada’s newly adopted Exceptional Quality Reclaimed Water (Category A+), which creates a regulatory pathway for indirect potable reuse, offers water management opportunities for the Truckee Meadows region.
5-Year effort
$6-8 million
Stantec, American Water, Water Environment Research Foundation
Bureau of Reclamation Grant Funding
RICK

8. Orange County Groundwater Replenishment System
Anaheim, California
100 million gallons per day
Provides 25% of regional water supply - serving 2.3 million people
Reduces dependence on imported water
Treatment process includes reverse osmosis (RO)
Pioneer in creating “agency legitimacy” movement

9. Successful Projects Have…
Public engagement
Builds agency legitimacy
Regional effort
Engages diverse expertise
Clearly defined purpose
Total water management
Clear regulatory pathway
Safe and reliable
Feasibility phase conducted
Demonstration project -“prove concepts”

10. Regional Feasibility Phase Activities
Project Development
Community Outreach
Nevada Regulations
Pilot Testing Technologies
Demonstration Project
Regional Feasibility Study created from recognized best practices
Hydrogeologic Investigations
Funding

11. Exceptional Quality Reclaimed Water Field Demonstration Project (2017-2020)

12. WRWC - UNR Scope of Work 3-1/2 year effort – $676,000 Contract
Krishna Pagilla, PhD
Internationally Recognized Water Expert
Director - UNR’s Water Innovation Campus
3 PhD candidates:
Laura Haak
Vijay Sundaram
Lydia Peri

13. Advanced Water Treatment Technologies Demonstration Project Tasks
Task 1: Project Rationale and Justification
Task 2: Treatment Technologies Evaluations
Task 3: Basis of Design
Task 4: Operating and Testing Plan

14. Project Rationale and Justification for Potable Reuse
Task 1: Scope of Work
Project Rationale and Justification for Potable Reuse
Identify regional economic, environmental, and social benefits
Assess status-quo management of water and recycled water resources
Develop a statement of opportunity for recycled water
Using “North Valleys” as the study area

15. Triple Bottom Line Assessment: Value Tree

16. Task 1 Findings
Potable Reuse provides greatest benefits through environmental criteria
Groundwater quality may improve
Aquifer replenishment and decreased pumping from depleted wells
Water stress (indicator of water security) will decrease in the North Valleys
Increased water resource size through aquifer replenishment
Potable Reuse also benefits social criteria
Health risk assessment shows safety expected for removal of pathogens, regulated, and unregulated contaminants
Water conservation goals are expected to improve with PR
Larger pool of water resources available
Potable Reuse is more expensive than status-quo management
Capital costs for treatment train upgrades and distribution system
Value is generated through creation of a new water resource

17. Task 1 Recommendations Potable Reuse improves future water management
Developing a new aquifer to increase local water resources
Adaptable management that can balance flood risk, drought supplies, conjunctive use, and well depletion
Removes need to export reclaimed water
Further study of Potable Reuse should fill in gaps and complete a site and technology specific health risk assessment
Literature shows wide variability in pathogen removal, DBP formation, and unregulated contaminant concentrations to influent
Local control may also correlate to additional external and internal benefits
Energy savings, air pollution, carbon footprint
Water quality improvements
Local employment

18. Task 2: Treatment Technologies that can meet Nevada DEP Regulations/ Requirements
Scope of Work
Nevada Proposed IPR Regulations and Requirements
Identify potential advanced treatment options
Evaluate case studies
Select advanced treatment train(s) for demonstration project
Provide technological justification for treatment process selection

19. Nevada Reclaimed Water Regulations
Indirect Potable Reuse through Infiltration Basins

20. Nevada Reclaimed Water Regulations
Indirect Potable Reuse through Aquifer Injection

21. Injection Well IPR Project Train
Task 2 Recommendations:
Treatment Trains Recommended for IPR Demonstration
Spreading Basin IPR Project Train (Category A Effluent + Vadose Zone Treatment)
Secondary Treatment
Granular Media Filtration with Pretreatment
UV Disinfection
Chlorination for Residual Maintenance (if needed)
Spreading
Vadose Zone/Soil Aquifer Treatment (SAT)
Saturated Zone Travel Time
Injection Well IPR Project Train
(Ozone-BAC AWTF)
Secondary Treatment
Coagulation-Flocculation-Clarification Granular Media Filtration (CFC GMF)
Ozone-BAC (O3-BAC)
UV Disinfection
Effluent Polishing
Chlorination for Residual Maintenance (if needed)
Injection
Saturated Zone Travel Time

22. Task 3: Basis of Design for the Demonstration Project
Determine Flows and Loads
Develop Specific Treatment Requirements
Perform Design Calculations
Evaluate Treatment Equipment Options
Summarize Design Criteria
Develop Conceptual Process Flow Diagram
Prepare Basis of Design Report for Spreading Basin IPR and Injection Well IPR Demonstration Project

23. Task 4: Development of a System Testing Plan
Contaminant Monitoring Plan
Specify methods and limits for monitoring of pathogens, regulated and unregulated contaminants
Sampling Plan
Develop a schematic of sampling locations and on line monitoring points
State a schedule for sampling events
Critical Control Points (CCP)
Select CCPs to control hazards and ensure robustness and reliability
Establish CCP on line monitoring strategies and critical limits
Instrumentation Plan
Identify instrumentation needed for on line and sampling event monitoring
System Testing Plan
Develop safety procedures, troubleshooting protocols, data validation QA/QC, and reporting methodology

24. Nevada Water Innovation Campus Concept
Water Innovation Campus is a shared vision and effort by the regional water utilities and UNR to develop and implement leading edge and integrated water solutions for the regional needs, and demonstrate national leadership in the water sector by the Truckee Meadows region. The campus is intellectually/administratively housed at UNR and physically located at the regional water utilities. UNR research labs serve as the basic and fundamental research component of the water innovation campus

25. Next Steps Collaboration with our Independent Advisory Team
Continue pilot testing treatment technologies
Preparing for demonstration projects
Selecting treatment equipment
Regional team gaining expertise
Develop Bureau of Reclamation funding plan
$150,000 Federal Grant
Water Rights
Low Energy Treatment Technologies
Water Markets
Regional Long-Term Climate Variability

26. Nevada Water Innovation Campus Kick off Reception August 24th

27. Thank you John Enloe, Director of Natural Resources jenloe@tmwa.com
Rick Warner, Senior Engineer
Dr. Krishna Pagilla, UNR

28. Task 2 Findings Nevada IPR Regulatory Concerns Summary
Pathogens (Giardia, Crypto and Virus inactivation requirements)
Regulated Contaminants (National Primary and State Secondary Drinking Water Contaminants)
Unregulated Constituents Monitoring Plan
Spreading Basin IPR
Soil Aquifer Treatment (SAT) is expected to provide substantial pathogen and contaminant removals
Injection Well IPR
Life-cycle cost of Reverse Osmosis (RO) based treatment option is three times more than Ozonation – Biological Activated Carbon Filtration (Ozone-BAC) option
Selection of familiar treatment steps (e.g., sand filtration in lieu of membrane filtration) provides enhanced operational reliability