Denver City Wire

Colorado recently announced plans to recycle wastewater for drinking.

9 News reports while the state’s water quality agency gave unanimous preliminary approval to regulate direct potable reuse earlier this week, there's still a final vote in November before this becomes a reality. The process of direct potable reuse involves treating and sending sewage directly to taps without first dispersing in into a larger water body.

“I think it's an important tool for the long term because it gives water providers options to respond to future scarcity of water supplies, whether drought-driven or other reasons,” Castle Rock Water Director Mark Marlowe said, according to 9 News.

Castle Rock Water reuses about 14% of its wastewater, sending it to a creek from the treatment plant, and re-drawing it farther downstream, as stated by 9 News. Marlowe explained the ability to use treated wastewater helps eliminate risks with the climate and dealing with the increasingly unreliability of the creek’s flow.

WateReuse, a national group advocating for the method, said Colorado would become the first state to adopt direct potable reuse regulations if the final vote succeeds next month.

Colorado does have a water reuse program. Information on permits and policies is available here.