An advanced water purification facility in Arizona designed for direct potable reuse of treated wastewater.
The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality has approved regulations for direct potable reuse of treated wastewater, allowing municipalities to convert it into drinking water. This innovative approach is expected to help address the ongoing water scarcity issues in the state amid prolonged drought conditions. The new regulations implement advanced purification technologies and set strict water quality monitoring protocols. Early adopters like Phoenix and Scottsdale are already developing facilities to support this initiative, aiming to recycle substantial volumes of water daily while engaging with the public regarding safety and reliability.
The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) has officially approved new regulations that will allow municipalities in the state to convert treated wastewater directly into drinking water. This regulatory change is a significant step in the fight against water scarcity in Arizona, which has been facing prolonged drought conditions.
Previously, cities could only utilize advanced purified water indirectly, which involved recharging aquifers and later extracting the water to undergo further purification before consumption. With the newly approved rules, municipalities can bypass this process, directly implementing advanced purification technologies to make wastewater safe for drinking. Randall Matas, deputy director for ADEQ, estimates that within the next decade, this advanced purification capability could facilitate the reuse of over 100 million gallons of water daily across Arizona.
The recent legislative changes stem from a rule amendment made in 2018, which paved the way for direct potable reuse but necessitated the establishment of a permit process for municipalities. In an effort to draft the new regulations, ADEQ formed a technical advisory group that includes a diverse range of stakeholders such as utilities, academics, and public representatives. This collaborative effort ensures that guidelines are comprehensive and consider various perspectives.
The newly created permitting process mandates that applicants demonstrate their technical, managerial, and financial capacity to execute advanced water purification projects. To guarantee that water quality meets safety standards, municipalities will be required to adhere to strict water quality monitoring protocols. These protocols include testing for pathogens and contaminants to ensure compliance with maximum levels established by the federal Safe Drinking Water Act.
On March 4, 2025, the Governor’s Regulatory Review Council approved the proposed rules, setting the stage for municipalities to adopt advanced water purification methods. Among the early adopters is Phoenix, which is currently working on an Advanced Water Purification (AWP) facility at the Cave Creek Water Reclamation Plant. This facility will launch a pilot program aimed at treating reclaimed water for direct potable use.
Scottsdale has already established Arizona’s first permanent Advanced Water Purification system, capable of treating up to 20 million gallons of recycled water each day. The sophisticated purification process employed at this facility includes ozonation, membrane ultrafiltration, reverse osmosis, and ultraviolet photolysis, producing water quality that surpasses Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standards.
A public communication plan has been mandated for all water provider agencies to engage with the public, aiming to inform them and address any concerns surrounding advanced water purification. Recent statewide surveys conducted in 2023 and 2024 indicate that approximately 75% of respondents are open to consuming advanced purified water, although some still harbor reservations regarding the initial state of the wastewater.
In addition to the developments in Scottsdale and Phoenix, plans are underway for further enhancements to water purification capacity in the state. Phoenix intends to construct additional AWP facilities to bolster the reliability of water supplies during periods of drought. A feasibility study is being conducted for a new regional purification plant in Phoenix that will collaborate with nearby cities such as Mesa, Glendale, and Scottsdale. This project is estimated to cost $700,000, with Phoenix responsible for approximately 69% of the funding.
The proposed regional plant is forecasted to purify up to 60 million gallons of water per day, thereby providing a sustainable solution amid the ongoing challenges presented by drought conditions. However, it is important to note that the towns of Buckeye and Queen Creek are not participating in this regional effort due to logistical complications and their reliance on limited groundwater resources.
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