Presentation at the TWCA mid year conference 2012 www.twca.org Alan H. Plummer, Jr. P.E

1. Law of the Farm Principles
Apply to Developing
Potable Reuse
Alan H. Plummer, Jr. P.E
June 14, 2012

2. Principles of the Farm

3. Principles of Farming
Takes knowledge
and effort
Takes time
Is a
process

4. Farming
Begins with “THE END” in Mind
• Meet human and livestock food needs
• Apply effective farming practices
– Historical successful processes
– Research to advance farming technology
– Implement proven technology advancements
– Harvest a safe and quality product
– Maintain the confidence of:
• Agricultural community 
• Regulatory entities 
• Public and Policy Makers  ?

5. Prepare the Soil
• Know the soil characteristics
and its capacity
• Prepare the soil
• Cultivate the soil
• Fertilize the soil
• Cannot procrastinate

6. Plant the Seed
• Must select the right seed
• Plant at specific time
• Plant the right way
• Cannot procrastinate

7. Nurture
• Weed
• Water
• Hard Work
• Cannot procrastinate
From sunrise… …to sunset

8. Harvest
Good Quality and Safe Products

9. Principles of Developing
Potable Reuse
Takes time
Takes sound science
and technology / effort
Is a
process

10. Potable Reuse Development
Processes
• Potable Reuse processes are
evolving to address technology,
regulatory, and public awareness
issues
• This presentation is about technology
process considerations

11. Potable Reuse Development
Begins with “THE END” in Mind
• Reuse to help meet Texas water demands
– State Water Plan – 1,500,000 acre feet/year
– Potential Additional – 800,000 acre feet/year
• “The End” - Potable Reuse
– Provide Dependable Safe Potable Reuse water
– Gain Confidence of:
• Technical and scientific community ??
• Regulatory entities ???
• Public and Policy Makers ????
(Note: Define “The End” based on Sound Science)

12. Prepare the Reuse Water
(Prepare the Soil)
• Define critical treated wastewater
quality characteristics
 TPDES Discharge Permit Criteria 
 Unregulated constituents?
 Specific micro-organisms?
• Provide source water protection

13. Prepare the Reuse Water
(Prepare the Soil)
• Prevent introduction of certain
industrial constituents into wastewater
• Provide effective reliable wastewater
treatment operations
• Perform monitoring to characterize
treated wastewater
• Produce a high quality treated
wastewater

14. Provide the Right Technology
(Plant the Right Seed)
• Define Potable Reuse water critical
characteristics ??
 SDWA criteria 
 Unregulated constituents?
 Specific micro-organisms?
• Establish required treatment
performance
• Select candidate treatment processes

15. Apply the Right Technology
(Plant the Right Seed)
• Perform appropriate research and
pilot-scale testing to achieve targeted
goals
• Select and scale up treatment
processes to reliable full-scale
operations

16. Implement and Operate
the Right Technology
(Nurture the Right Way)
• Design and construct Potable Reuse
water advanced treatment facilities
• Provide consistent and effective
treatment operations
• Provide real-time monitoring

17. Harvest Success Factors
for
Potable Reuse
• Define “The End”
• Safe and Dependable Potable Reuse
• Right level of Risk
• Don’t Procrastinate - Develop Texas
• Technical Process
• Regulatory Process
• Public Awareness Process

18. TWCA Membership
Key Harvest Stakeholders

19. TWCA 2012 Reuse
Committee Charge (1)
1. Identify impediments to implementing
Potable Reuse in Texas related to:
• Technology
• Rules and regulations
• Public awareness and education
• Funding

20. TWCA 2012 Reuse
Committee Charge (1) (cont.)
2. Identify potential strategies for
removing or mitigating identified
impediments.
3. Define actions to develop potential
strategies, based on sound science
and technology, for removing or
mitigating identified impediments.

21. TWCA 2012 Reuse
Committee Charge (1) (cont.)
4. Coordinate efforts of the Reuse
Committee with other TWCA
committees including but not limited
to Water Quality, Water Laws, and
Federal Affairs.
5. Coordinate efforts of the Reuse
Committee with other water
professional organizations including
WateReuse Texas, Texas Section of
AWWA, and WEAT.

22. TWCA 2012 Reuse
Committee Charge (1) (cont.)
6. Coordinate efforts of the Reuse
Committee with TCEQ AND TWDB
7. Report Reuse Committee findings
and recommendations regarding the
role of TWCA in advancing Reuse in
Texas to the TWCA Board of
Directors for consideration.
(1) Water ownership issues will not specifically be addressed as part
of the Water Reuse Committee effort. However, ownership issues
that are raised will be communicated to the Water Laws Committee
for potential future consideration

23. Harvest
Safe and Good Quality
Potable Reuse water