Treated Wastewater May Be Coming to a Tap Near You in Arizona

Arizona water agencies are allowed to send a new resource to customers’ taps this year: treated wastewater.

But it could be a while before that actually happens.

The state lifted its restrictions Jan. 1 on “direct potable reuse” whereby reclaimed water is added to the drinking water system after heavy treatment. New rules outline the permitting process for providers that want to try it.

The changes mark Arizona’s first step in regulating a water reuse option that is drawing interest throughout the country. While agencies in several U.S. cities, particularly in the West, inject treated wastewater into aquifers or send ...