Clean Water Current

The Water Environment Federation (WEF), the American Membrane Technology Association (AMTA) and the WateReuse Association co-hosted a briefing September 7, for federal agency officials from the Department of Interior, Department of Energy, the EPA and other agencies and stakeholders on the use of membrane technology for water treatment.

Intended to highlight the promise of membrane technology in meeting the country’s water supply and treatment needs – and to encourage greater federal funding – the briefing also explored the current obstacles to greater use of membrane technology. Several speakers focused on the need for federal regulations to guide the reuse of wastewater, primarily potable reuse, to reduce the current state-by-state approach that technology/solution providers face with every new project.

Based on input from NACWA members, the Association has not endorsed the idea of federal standards for reuse, but this issue continues to garner significant attention as more potable reuse projects are explored nationwide. This issue is one of several that will be getting additional attention from NACWA’s newly formed Arid States and Reuse Workgroup and will be part of a discussion on arid/semi-arid state and water reuse issues at NACWA’s upcoming leadership meeting.

Materials from the briefing, including presentations from four utilities currently using membrane technology to provide or augment water supply, groundwater replenishment or non-potable and potable reuse, will be available soon. Contact Emily Remmel at to obtain a copy of the materials or to learn more about NACWA’s work in these areas.