Understanding Advanced Purified Water Treatment

Quality and Safety of Advanced Purified Water

Advanced purified water has been used to replenish underground aquifers and surface reservoirs in the U.S. for over 50 years. Like Truckee Meadows, these other communities have a strong desire to conserve and recycle water resources instead of using them only once.

In 2016, a third-party, technical panel of water experts was commissioned by the National Water Research Institute (NWRI) to evaluate and review the Project. The expert panel concluded that it was, “plausible, feasible and protective of public health.” Water quality sampling confirms purified water that undergoes this level of treatment has an equal or higher level of water quality than treated groundwater or surface water. Follow-up reviews by NWRI panels of experts were conducted in 2022 and 2023, to confirm its earlier findings as the Project has progressed and seeks official permitting from the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection (NDEP) to become operational in 2024.

Since 2017, OneWater Nevada has been studying various advanced water treatment technologies at a pilot-scale level in collaboration with the Nevada Water Innovation Institute. An advanced purified water demonstration study at RSWRF was completed in 2020, which successfully achieved drinking water quality, demonstrated groundwater injection and recovery, and validated the capabilities of advanced water treatment technologies used in the Project.

The State of Nevada regulates the treatment of groundwater and surface water, and the production of Category A+ advanced purified water. State regulations require treatment to drinking water standards and allow for direct injection into groundwater aquifers, intended for aquifer storage and recovery.

A+ Advanced Purified Water Treatment Steps

A+ Advanced Purified Water Treatment Steps
A+ Advanced Purified Water Treatment Steps (click to enlarge)