A new application of proven water-treatment technologies is offering Northern Nevada an opportunity to both lead and benefit from the water-reuse revolution sweeping the western United States. The project is the Advanced Purified Water Facility (APWF); it is the first water purification and reuse project in Nevada. A joint effort by the City of Reno and Truckee Meadows Water Authority (TMWA), the project is part of the greater OneWater Nevada water sustainability effort and is located only a few miles north of Reno.

The facility will produce Category A+ Advanced Purified Water (A+). As defined by the Nevada Administrative Code (NAC) 445A, A+ water is suitable for all Nevada water recycling practices, including groundwater augmentation. To meet the A+ standard, the project team selected an ozone-biological-carbon based treatment system. These processes produce purified water that meets or exceeds state and federal drinking water standards while also providing significant savings in capital and operating costs, lower energy requirements, lesser treatment-chemical consumption, and none of the brine-concentrate discharge that comes with the reverse osmosis approach commonly used in costal water purification facilities.

The source water for the APWF will be high-quality filtered and Ultraviolet (UV) disinfected effluent from the Reno-Stead Water Reclamation Facility (RSWRF). This water will undergo advanced treatment with an innovative process utilizing ozone oxidation and biological filtration, effectively reducing pathogens and constituents of emerging concern—such as pharmaceuticals. From the APWF, the water will be conveyed by pipeline approximately 7 miles to an undeveloped, rural site. Here, the water will undergo further polishing and disinfection, using granular activated carbon filtration and ultraviolet light treatment processes. From there, the advanced purified water will be recharged into the groundwater aquifer and stored for future use. Aquifer storage is not subject to evaporative losses like a reservoir, and further enhances water quality through natural processes.

Potential Project Benefits:

  • Provides a local, reliable, drought-proof water source.
  • Reduces the amount of reclaimed water being discharged by RSWRF into flood-prone Swan Lake by up to two million gallons per day.
  • Improves the quality of the remaining reclaimed water discharged into Swan Lake.
  • Increases resilience and sustainability in the regional water portfolio.
  • Develops an innovative treatment process tailored for use in non-coastal states.
  • Demonstrates the viability of Advanced Purified Water in Nevada, potentially enabling the technology to be implemented in the future at other water reclamation facilities, reducing reliance on Truckee River water resources.

 

Rendering of facility
Conceptual rendering of APWF

Project Status

On August 31, 2026 the City of Reno and Truckee Meadows Water Authority began building the Advanced Purified Water Facility on Lear Boulevard north of Reno. The groundbreaking event that day marked an important milestone as construction got underway on Nevada’s first indirect potable reuse facility—advancing a new chapter in the region’s water future.

Construction is anticipated to continue through fall of 2029. An on-site Education Center is part of the facility’s design, offering the public an opportunity to engage with the science and safety behind advanced water purification. Visit OneWaterNevada.com for construction updates.