The good folks of Orange County, California are poised to begin drinking their own water. The county has just put into operation the biggest sewage reclamation plant in the world, one that is expected to generate more than 70-million gallons of pristine drinking water every day.
Since you asked, here's how it works. Sewage is treated, the effluent purified and then the already "clean" water is injected into the county's massive acquifer, a process that further cleans it. By the time it's pumped out of the acquifer it's so clean that lime has to be added to keep it from dissolving the system's concrete pipes.
The reclamation plant cost the county just shy of half a million dollars. At capacity, the plant could produce 130-million gallons per day. Although the reclaimed product is a little more expensive than water brought in from northern California, imported water prices are soon expected to close the gap.
Another benefit is that the effluent is no longer being pumped into the ocean after primary treatment.
Since you asked, here's how it works. Sewage is treated, the effluent purified and then the already "clean" water is injected into the county's massive acquifer, a process that further cleans it. By the time it's pumped out of the acquifer it's so clean that lime has to be added to keep it from dissolving the system's concrete pipes.
The reclamation plant cost the county just shy of half a million dollars. At capacity, the plant could produce 130-million gallons per day. Although the reclaimed product is a little more expensive than water brought in from northern California, imported water prices are soon expected to close the gap.
Another benefit is that the effluent is no longer being pumped into the ocean after primary treatment.
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