Water district may implement “toilet to tap”

Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWD), the largest water wholesaler in the state, is looking at implementing a “toilet to tap” system that would service Los Angeles, Orange and San Bernardino Counties. MWD’s wants to limit the amount of imported water.

According to Debra Man, the assistant general manager and COO of MWD, the program would be implemented throughout the region and serve nearly 19 million people. Before the project is fully launched, a demonstration would take place, should the agency’s board approve the motion on November 10th.

“This is a huge step for them to embark on a new path because they have historically been all about imported water,” Melissa Meeker, executive director of the WaterReuse Association, told CNBC. “It’s such a large entity and large supplier to so many people in Southern California.”

The demonstration phase of the project would treat 1 million gallons of water per day. The treatment plant would be located near Los Angele County’s wastewater treatment plant in Carson. The treated water would be piped into underground reservoirs.

Later phases of the project could provide around 55 billion gallons of treated water per year. Initially the treated water would be added to underground basins in L.A. and Orange counties, the district says down the road there could be “direct potable reuse”.

The project, if completed, would cost around $1 billion.