Value of water reuse grows
Information provided by the Douglas County Water Resource Authority
As water costs continue to rise and the available resource itself becomes harder to get, a not-so-new practice of using treated wastewater from household or commercial properties for irrigation of public landscapes, commercial lots, and golf courses is gaining new momentum.
To maximize the efficient use of local water supplies and to increase its reliability, several local water providers, including the Castle Pines Metro District and the Castle Pines North Metro District participate in “reuse” programs.
“As our water usage and concerns about our environment grow, water reuse will be more important than ever,” said Paul Dannels, District Manager for the Castle Pines Metropolitan District. “Water reuse has been very successful in finding new and reliable water supplies while not harming public health. I believe that water reuse is sustainable and cost-effective for our future”
The water reuse process begins with cleansing, filtration, and disinfection of water in advanced wastewater treatment plants. The high-quality reclaimed water that flows out of the treatment plants can be reused for a new, beneficial purpose.
Throughout the process, stringent measures are used to ensure that public health and environmental quality are protected. As much as 90 percent of the water that goes through this reuse process can be used for park, golf course, common space, and commercial property irrigation purposes.
“Reuse water can be used in numerous applications including irrigation, concrete mixing, dust control, and cooling towers,” said Martha Hahn, Assistant Authority Manager and Plant Superintendent of the Plum Creek Wastewater Authority (PCWA). “Recycling water is simply responsible use of a critical resource, ” she added.
The PCWA is owned by the Castle Pines Metro District, Castle Pines North Metro District, and the Town of Castle Rock. Three golf courses are irrigated with reuse water during the summer months; The Ridge at Castle Pines North, the Golf Club at Castle Pines, and Castle Pines Country Club.
There are also plans for reuse at the Town of Castle Rock’s Red Hawk Ridge golf course. Due to a recent $30 million upgrade, the water coming out of the Plum Creek Wastewater Authority’s plant is very high quality.
Next on the drawing board: these same water managers are viewing new opportunities to work together to find solutions to Colorado’s growing water demands. They agree reducing water use is important, but they also acknowledge conservation alone will not solve the long-term water demands without additional supply.
For more information on reuse efforts in the region, please visit www.dcwater.org.
