Frequently Asked Questions
To help provide a solid foundation for solutions that can help sustain our natural resources, water reuse and desalination facts and terminology have been provided. By understanding the facts and the terminology along with the existing misconceptions, one can begin to understand the needs and benefits of
water reuse and desalination.
- Are pharmaceuticals and personal care products removed in the water purification process?
Yes. The highly purified water produced is safe, clean and constantly monitored at every step. Results show that reverse osmosis and advanced oxidation processes are effective at removing pharmaceuticals and personal care products. All results showed the levels of contaminants and pathogens have been removed from the advanced process making the water meet and exceed all California primary and secondary drinking water standards.
- How safe is purified water?
The Santa Clara Valley Water District is the primary water resources management agency for Santa Clara County responsible for meeting the county’s water supply demands. To achieve this, the water district plans to produce up to 24,000 acre feet (AFY) per year of highly purified water for potable reuse by the year 2025. This amounts to 8 billion gallons a year of new fresh water that’s drought-proof — enough water to serve 74,000 households each year in Silicon Valley that we would not otherwise have.
The Silicon Valley Advanced Water Purification Center (SVAWPC), which opened in March of 2014, receives secondary-treated wastewater and uses microfiltration, reverse osmosis, and ultraviolet light disinfection to produce highly purified water that meets all California Primary and Secondary Drinking Water Standards. The purified water produced by the SVAWPC is not currently used for potable (i.e., drinking) purposes, but instead is blended with tertiary-treated recycled water and used for a variety of non-potable purposes such as landscaping, agriculture and industry.
- What are the current California drinking water standards and how do they compare with the Purification Center’s water?
The Division of Drinking Water under the California State Water Resource Control Board regulates public drinking water systems (for a copy of latest drinking water standards visit: https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/drinking_water/programs/index.shtml). The SVAWPC facility is currently not licensed for drinking water. However, the plant’s finished water quality meets ALL California Primary and Secondary Drinking Water Standards (a.k.a. as “Maximum Contaminant Levels”). The facility is currently a demonstration plant undergoing continuous improvements to prove to ourselves, our regulators, and the public we serve that we can consistently and reliably produce safe clean drinking water over the long run (including removal of any chemical of emerging concern). In the meantime, plant operators are also evaluating, testing, piloting modeling, and designing future expanded uses of purified water such as groundwater recharge.