Drinking highly purified sewage water could become reality in California
The new rules, mandated by state law, would require extensive treatment and monitoring before wastewater can be piped to taps.
FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Are you ready to drink highly purified sewage water?
It's likely to become a reality here in California sooner than you may think.
This week, state water officials unveiled 62 pages of proposed rules.
The drought-prone state has turned to recycled water for more than 60 years.
But current regulations require it to first make a pit stop in a reservoir or an aquifer before it can flow to taps.
The new rules, mandated by state law, would require extensive treatment and monitoring before wastewater can be piped to taps.
Right now, the city of Clovis does something similar, collecting sewage from homes.
Almost 3 million gallons a day flow through a "purple pipe" system to the "reuse facility" in southeast Clovis.
The treated water is then used to maintain city parks and landscaping.
State-wide regulations should be complete by the end of this year and could reach your home taps in the next 10 years.
