Health and sanitation
49 that will protect public health, based on the quality of the water that is coming out of the process.”
While he could not say when someone in California would be able to go into the kitchen, turn on the tap, and get this type of water, Barnard pointed out that several IPR projects are already going on across the state through groundwater recharge projects.
“ They take wastewater, treat it to very high levels, put it in the aquifer, and it stays in the ground for so much time before it gets pulled out and then people are drinking it,” he said.
The recently issued report is only a draft, Barnard said, and public comments had been accepted up until submission to the state Legislature at the end of 2016.
“ What we are proposing right now is to start drafting DPR regulations concurrently with research as it is moving forward,” he said.“ That way, as research starts to answer questions, we can take the conclusions and implement those into our draft regulations so that we make something that is very clear and has measurable and objective criteria to be protective of public health.” PA
“… were pursued out of necessity after the communities suffered through severe drought, despite conservation efforts and efforts to find better sources of water.”
www. plumbingafrica. co. za April 2017 Volume 23 I Number 2