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Drought-Stricken Texas Town Taps Urine For Water
An anonymous reader writes "Texas is in the midst of a drought so severe that local water management teams have decided to distribute reclaimed wastewater (aka urine). The Colorado River Municipal Water District in West Texas has broken ground on a $13 million plant that will capture treated wastewater and ready it for redistribution. After being run through microfilters and undergoing reverse osmosis, slimy sewage is cleansed with peroxide and ultraviolet light. This intense process ensures that any pharmaceuticals and carcinogens are removed, and that the H2O stands up to drinking water regulations."
Bear Grylls is happy to have this first post and taste!
...then you're drinking filtered sewage anyway.
Not news.
--
BMO
This sounds logical but I would only drink this water if this process can really get the asparagus smell out of the urine. Have you noticed how nasty that is?
I assume this is similar to recycling systems used for space missions? Don't they also recycle waste for H20?
About bloody time that some city in the US starts doing this. Did you know that the outflow from the Los Angeles sewage treatment plant is actually cleaner than the water that they pump (at ridiculous cost) over the mountains to the potable water intake?
The capital of Botswana has been doing this since the 1960s. Nice to know that Texas is finally catching up to sub-Saharan Africa.
"Think about how stupid the average person is. Now, realise that half of them are dumber than that." - George Carlin
Like your drinking water isn't already the toilet for fish, birds, and god-knows what other wildlife. Get over yourself, Sally.
SJW: Someone who has run out of real oppression, and has to fake it.
That it's being considered really shows how bad the drought situation in Texas is. I'm sure the quality of the water will be fine, but for people to mentally get over the stigma requires some serious problem that needs to be addressed. Pretty much the whole state is "hell" and relief does not seem anywhere in the distant future: http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/expert_assessment/seasonal_drought.html
See! Were having to drink our own piss. Do you really want Rick Peery for president?!?
Having to work for a living is the root of all evil.
It's amazing to me that this type of thing only gets implemented due to a crisis when it should be obvious from the get go that developing and improving the methods of recycling and reclamation should always be part of the way we do anything.
If they aren't, I will!
Drinking wastewater makes as much sense as watering your lawn with potable water.
...and, yes, I'd wear John Wayne Gacy's sweater, if it were clean, I needed a sweater, and it at-least-sorta fit.
This is definitely "stuff that matters" especially for the people in the affected regions.
Colorless green Cthulhu waits dreaming furiously.
If it's good enough for Bear, it's good enough for anyone.
So...when do we start eating raw snakes?
Depends on how much energy it takes. In many places, it's probably still cheaper to take it from wells and lakes/reservoirs. This is an inevitable necessity, though, at some point few places will have enough fresh water to provide for their populations.
Urine? Well, yes, but also the feces and the nasty water from industry. As someone has pointed out already, if your WTP collects from the river, you are already drinking treated sewage water.
/lab intern at a WWTP
At our plant, we have a water reclamation facility at the end of our process, the same type of facility used at the water treatment plant upstream. A WRF is common, iirc, in CA, but is, afaik, the first of its kind here in MN. It is far more common to discharge without the additional filtering and contaminant removal provided by a WRF.
The water we discharge is tested biweekly for ammonia and phosphorus and daily for total coliforms and biological oxygen demand. Ammonia and coliforms are non-detectable ~99% of the time. We are doing a very good job turning sewage into drinking water for the next town on the river.
When I was a kid, I used to think Milk was cow piss and I loved drinking milk. So, for me, I just don't see what the fuss is all about.
And in Portland, they drain an entire reservoir after one guy takes a leak
http://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2011/06/16/Reservoir-drained-due-to-urine/UPI-10781308249177/
Have a Day!
They've been recycling piss in the US for years, usually under the name Budweiser...
Huh? You Americans don't clean/recycle/process your waste water?
You just dump your untreated wastewater into the local river, or what?
This is TEXAS! We don't have a drought, we just have a God-induced anti-flood. He loves us SO much he wants to show us that, unlike in the age of Noah when a flood was the only thing that would wash the world clean of the heathens that overran it, we are SO loved by our Lord that he has taken away all of the water in a demonstration of how safe we are here on our planet!
Climate change? That's for those Pussies in Seattle.
People want the end product, but no one wants to know how it's made. True in many contexts.
In debates about Christianity, there are two groups: those looking for answers, and those looking to just ask questions.
... this should be done everywhere, not just drought stricken Texas. Water is a precious commodity that needs to be preserved, if we can recycle waste water and reduce the amount taken directly in nature with no adverse effects to us, go for it.
~Syberz
South Africa, being a dry country, has been doing this for years. All sewage gets sent to treatment farms, where it is cleaned, and the water from it are then placed back in the river systems from where it is used for irrigation, drinking water and everything else - just like rain water.
South Africa also boasts that the water from the treatment plants are cleaner than rain water. My father is an electrical engineer and helped design one of the plants (the electrical systems obviously). The process is quite spectacular - and moreso than what is described here. For starters the first phase includes the sewage being cleaned by specially cultured bacteria to break it down, before chemical cleaning, filtering etc. step by step turns it back into pure H20.
The two main waste products from the process is methane and solid waste. The solid waste is used to create fertilizers. The methane is burned off (being a clean-burning gas) but quite a few people here have converted their cars to run on methane (any gasoline car can be converted) and fill up there - for the moment at least (since the demand is pretty low and they have massive amounts they need to get rid off) the sewage treatment farms don't even charge them. Fill up the car, no cost.
Unicode killed the ASCII-art *
If they just broke ground on it recently, I'm curious to know if it is supposed to be ready before, say, winter.
Of course, being Texas they don't really have winter. Temperatures probably go from "Jesus Christ on roller-skates it's unbearably hot!" to "hey, my face is no longer melting off, but it is still miserably hot!".
Damn_registrars has no butt-hole. Damn_registrars has no use for a butt-hole.
"West Texas....URINE for a surprise!"
Comment removed based on user account deletion
Arizona has been doing this for a long time. For the most part, the water treatment is less intense and it is distributed through a separate, non-potable system to be used for irrigation. Makes sense since it is cheaper (requires less filtration). However some of it is filtered further, and mixed in with water from wells and the CAP to go in to the drinking water.
you mean water, like in the toilet?
the preceding comment is my own and in no way reflects the opinion of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
Yawn.. here in Orange County, we've been doing this for over 3 years, because we're getting tired of people from up north bitching about us stealing their water. The plant they constructed near my house pumps out 80 mllion gallons of reclaimed water per day. Anybody who claims they can tell it used to be wastewater is insane.
http://www.slashfood.com/2008/08/13/orange-county-produces-the-worlds-most-recycled-water/
I just found the box to change my sig. Um.... [timeless witticism].
We moved from the gulf coast of Texas (thats enuf hurricanes) to the Hill Country (central) trying to do homesteading and..dont laugh..rainwater collection... 2 years ago. We had grand ideas about farming and becoming self sufficient. In two years here we have had maybe 5-6 inches of rain total and been under burn bans for all but a few months because of the drought. Local cities are under stage 4 restrictions and it is so bad that wild deer are dying on the hoof from nothing to eat and all the vegetation being dead.
We still have the grand ideas, but at the beginning of next month we are moving the plan to Missouri..where it actually rains.
Chanute, KS was the first in the US, from October 14th 1956 to March 14th, 1957. The water met microbial standards of the time, but was discontinued as soon as possible due to public acceptance.
Windhoek, the capital of the Republic of Namibia (Sahara desert) recycles about 30% of their water to supply a population of 300,000 residents. They started in 1968.
Not common, but far from a new idea.
for me to drink my own urine? NO! But I like the taste.
Cheaper to pump it into a stream and let mother nature clean it up before being pulled into the plant by the next town. Although I did not answer your question.
Does it the water burn when it gets out the tap?
Only if your faucet has Gonorrhea. ;-)
This is old news, Texas has been recycling piss for years and bottling it as Lone Star and Pearl beer.
main(){char*c="main(){char*c=%c%s%c;printf(c,34,c
Step 1: Recycle human waste into drinkable water.
Step 2: Privatize the water recycling business.
Step 3: Because human waste is now a commodity, pass laws forbidding anyone to pee anywhere but in a restroom with an approved capture facility.
Step 4: Charge people for entry into the restrooms.
Step 5: Profit!
Congratulations, you've started down the road to Urinetown!
"Those who made dough from debasing / Need erasing, need the knife / Let their blood flow like Campari, / We're not sorry - Hey that's life!
They're not sorry! I'm not sorry! No one's sorry, no one's sorry, 'til they get to Urinetown!"
Genocide Man -- Life is funny. Death is funnier. Mass murder can be hilarious.
As far as they're concerned, the world of science is part of a vast international communist conspiracy to make everyone think the world is round. The crisis is the only thing they'll accept as proof that they needed to do this.
That will be the biggest obstacle; very (and varying) complicated chemistry and as far as I can tell it doesn't have any End of Life requirements placed upon it, even though the environmental impacts are already being seen. Perhaps it is time for Big Pharma to kick in a few sheckels to help out with the clean ups, especially for potable water intake - without us asking our doctors to be sure.
The conspiracy theories I've heard are that estrogen-related compounds get into the water, are difficult to get out, and may be having an effect on men. A google search came up with a daily mail report and something from the pope, so I have no idea how seriously to take that notion, but it would be entertaining if Texas became more liberal.
I think it's positive they're proposing this, rather than a desalination plant on the coast and pumping the water long distances. Although drinking purified water from the ocean doesn't have the ick factor of drinking pee, it requires a lot of energy and causes much more environmental damage compared to water recycling.
As anyone in a waste water plant could probably tell you, only a small amount of water that goes through sewage actually comes from your toilet. The vast majority likely comes from your shower, tub, sink, dishes, watering you lawn, washing your car, rain water, etc... You don't think they maintain a special pipe for urine right?
For example, if you read about some religious sect in India that believes God wants people to drink their own urine, you don't say to yourself, "Isn't it amazing, the diversity of belief systems man has developed in his never-ending quest to understand and cope with the intricate moral dilemmas posed by a complex and uncertain world?" No, what you say to yourself is, "These people have the brains of a trout."
Meanwhile, over in India, the sect members are getting a major chuckle over the fact that some American basketball players cross themselves before they take foul shots. "As if God cares about foul shots!" the sect members howl, tears streaming down their faces. "Say, is this my urine or yours?"
the preceding comment is my own and in no way reflects the opinion of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
There is this great invention called "trees". Apparently when you plant them they can retain moisture in the soil. That makes the vegetation around need less water, it prevents from flooding and they actually pull moisture out of thin air! If you use trees instead of concrete you will be able to use the trees to reduce the temperature in the hot summer days. They even take some of the road-dust out of the air. You can even talk about firewood from the trees. Not much, but it's free.
Imagine a town that banned lawns and insisted all should have trees!
Maybe they should study some people in Chula Vista California. For about two years they drank some not so completely treated wastewater (meant for grass at golf courses etc).
http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20070823/news_lz1ed23top.html
If this takes off, then a tall glass of urine-derived water could wash down the Shitburger. The relative quality of food will be so high that it'll put McDonald's out of business.
Where's the "frosty piss" guy when you need him?
I heard that too as an anecdote, and from a Londoner, but if anybody considers it "good tasting" then they've never in their life drunk normal tap water.
London tap water is chlorinated a lot (not as bad as Florence though) and you'll breathe out the chlorine vapour after you've brushed your teeth with it. Yuk.
I understand they can't be choosy, but still... aren't there always a lot of floods in Britain because it rains so much? May be a better idea to make an overflow lake somewhere in flood zone land (Norwich?) and pipe it to London to dilute/improve the taste of their chlorinated "I can't believe it's not water". Can any Brit tell us why they haven't already done this.
To be, or not to be: isn't that quite logical, Slashdot Beta?
Climate change? This shit's fairly normal. We get a drought like this every 20 years or so. Our summers always have long bursts of 110+ days. Likewise, most of the younger generation has little to no contact with Christianity, though many of them still maintain a facade around their families.
This just in, Texas town cuts water:
http://edition.cnn.com/2011/US/08/08/heat.wave/
Actual quote:
"Right now our water towers have no water in them at all," said the town's mayor, Donald Kile. "According to the weather forecast we got no relief coming. We're believing and we're praying for rain."
How about instead of praying you make some calls and see if you can get some water trucked in, smart guy?
"When information is power, privacy is freedom" - Jah-Wren Ryel
I don't work in wastewater treatment, I am just aware of the existence and general development/deployment since they send all water customers a newsletter about it and I actually read that newsletter.
(I might also invite you Texas readers to come to Pennsylvania, where water is plentiful.)
Not a good idea. It's better for you that they stay where they are. Let's keep the Rick Perry-worshiping morons in one place.
The city of St. Louis has been doing this for several decades now, putting it in cans, and shipping it out to the rest of the world under the brand name, "Budweiser",. . .
Easier to truck the people out than to truck people in. I doubt his town is so important that it couldn't be located elseware for a few months.
"Is it necessary for me to drink my own urine? No! But I do it anyway, cause it's sterile and I like the taste."
Patches O'Houlihan
"No fear. No envy. No meanness." Liam Clancy
Astronauts do it, why cant cowboys?
- d
most of the waste water is not urine. it's also laundry water, gallons of clean water used to flush your several ounces of urine away, and the water you have showered it. As it has been said, if your town draws water from a river, you get this anyway. Split your water system into clean and grey water and you get less of a problem. You don't need drinking grade water for many industrial processes or watering parks and gardens. Plan ahead and wake up to the fact that people are using more water than some areas of the world can provide.
There was an unknown error in the submission.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urinetown
It's the oldest story -
Masses are oppressed
Faces, clothes and bladders
All distressed
Rich folks get the good life
Poor folks get the woe
In the end
It's nothing you don't know
You're at Urinetown!
Your ticket should say Urinetown!
No refunds, this is Urinetown!
We'll keep that dough!
_____________________________________________________
It's a privilege to pee
I run the only toilet
In this part of town, you see
So, if you've got to go
You've got to go through me
It's a privilege to pee
Water's worth its weight
In gold these days
No more bathrooms
Like in olden days
You come here and pay a fee
For the privilege to pee
HIghly recommended if any high school or community group is doing this in your area
-I'm just sayin'
Wasn't there another story about this just last week?
In another area, that is..
Shouldn't that start making this _not_ news?
Yes most things can be eliminated with this process, but if you are only treating urine in water, but people throw out all sorts of sh*t in those sewers, paint, thinner, oil, medicine, etc...etc....
I would not touch this with a 10 foot pole, how about just moving to another town with more water?
Peroxide and UV light are both extremely toxic and teratogenic artificial chemicals, and I insist on my little bunnykins (Jocasta and Aquapodes) not being exposed to anything but natural organic materials. Like Vibrio Cholerae and Salmonella typhi. As pure as nature intended.
Now that you've upset me, I'm going to have to take the little darlings to the beach to recover from the shock with some nice healthy sea breeezes and some sunbathing.
You dirty scientists trying to destroy the safety of the natural world with your dangerous chemicals.
Dr Bob was right - always listen to your chiroproctologist on matters of bacteriology. And nuclear physics. Dr Bob knows his shit.
This post may contain sarcasm. Read with care.
Birds are not dinosaur descendants;birds are dinosaurs, for all useful meanings of "birds", "are" and "dinosaurs"
Funny, but no, I meant the environmental damage from the likely coal-generated electricity needed to pump the water all that way, and the waste brine from the plant.