The US city of San Diego has awarded a $1 million contract with communications firm Katz to develop an outreach campaign to inform the population of the city’s water reuse plans.
San Diego officials said they hoped the two-year deal would lead to progress beyond the currently limited allowed use of purified water largely in irrigation of public to encompass direct potable reuse. Deputy director of external affairs for the city’s Public Utilities Department Brent Eidson said there was hope that so-called “toilet to tap” reuse will be possible and permissible. But for now, the outreach was limited strictly to what was possible with indirect water reuse, he added.
Explaining the distinction between recycled water and reused purified water will be a major goal of the outreach campaign.
In 2011, the city kicked off an indirect potable reuse pilot project as part of a 20-year Pure Water San Diego initiative. The pilot project used reverse osmosis, ultraviolet light and advanced oxidation treatment. San Diego City Council accepted the project report in spring 2013.