We could read last month how Los Angeles mayor Eric Garcetti signalled the plans for the city to reuse 100% of it’s wastewater by 2035. Currently only 2% of the city’s water supply come from the wastewater treatment plants, but Garcetti hope to increase this number to 35% in 2035.
“Conservation is about more than how we respond to a dry year — it should shape how we prepare our City for tomorrow,” said Mayor Garcetti. “Maximizing L.A.’s recycling capacity will increase the amount of water we source locally, and help to ensure that Angelenos can count on access to clean water for generations to come.”
This news story is only the trickle before the flood. We will see massive change in the approach to municipal water supply over the next two decades in efforts to mitigate water scarcity and improve water supply resilience. However, the water disruption will occur on a building or neighborhood level as technologies for local treatment and resuse of greywater mature. We will see a move towards more water autonomous buildings in a similar development as we now can see unfold in the energy sector as a consequence of the dramatic price drop in solar PV over the last decade.
However it will be a greater challenge becuase of, among other things, the “yuck-factor” – we generally dislike the idea of reusing someone else’s water when we take a shower, so this is a perception that will need to be changed. On the upside, you are less likely to flush bleach, drugs or solvent down your sink when you know it could come back to you when shampoo your hair in the shower next time.
One thing is virtually certain however, the way that the supply and use domestic water will be very different for our great grandchildren compared to what we are used to today.