If Washington County residents want to know what’s on tap to shore up the drought-prone area’s water supply, they need look no further than their bathtub, dishwasher, kitchen sink – and yes, their toilet.
That’s because Washington County water managers’ plans extend to turning treated sewage, which includes wastewater from toilets, into drinking water – eventually.
“You will see that in the next 15 to 20 years,” Washington County Water Conservancy District Manager Zach Renstrom said about its plan for a regional water purification system. “You are going to start seeing that all over the western United States.”
To keep pace with growth, the 20-year master plan Washington County Water Conservancy District unveiled in July 2023 calls for constructing a $1 billion regional reuse system that will eventually include a facility to treat and convert sewage into clean drinking water.
The system is a key component in the district’s goal to secure another 47,000 acre-feet of water by 2042. An acre-foot of water is approximately 326,000 gallons, which is about how much water two households use in a year. Thus far, the district says it has secured more than $250 million in funding for the project.
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This article is published through the Utah News Collaborative, a partnership of news organizations in Utah that aims to inform readers across the state.