South Jordan City, Utah, USA – Exploring direct potable reuse for the future with a demonstration plant
Water is an increasingly scarce resource in Utah and the State and City are growing rapidly. It’s important to investigate all options to ensure the future of our water supply. In South Jordan, we import 100% of our water because we have no local source of our own. As part of long-term planning for water supply, the City is pursuing this water purification demonstration project to determine if water recycling can and should be part of the City’s future water supply. A water purification demonstration project in Utah will serve to educate water agencies, water customers and the general public on a valuable resource that is currently not being utilised.
While this project and facility is for educational and demonstration purposes, this water will be tested to validate water purification goals. The water is pre-cleaned at the South Valley Reclamation plant, where it is cleaned to an irrigation water standard before entering the advanced purification process at the demonstration facility that brings it to drinking water quality. The water will be purified to meet drinking water standards. However, it won’t go to homes/drinking water supplies – the water from this purification demonstration project is being used for demonstration purposes only. It will be sent back into the headwaters at the South Valley plant for the duration of the project. However, it would be cleaned to such a high standard that it would be safe to drink.
Families and stakeholders will be able to take tours of the facility, learn and see how the process works, and in the future even get a chance to try the water! This facility is the first of its kind in Utah.