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Getting Past The ‘Ick’ Factor: Drinking Recycled Wastewater

People pass a water treatment plant and electrical power lines on a a bike path in Arlington, Virginia.
People pass a water treatment plant and electrical power lines on a a bike path in Arlington, Virginia.

Reduce… Reuse… Recycle… we’ve been hearing that mantra for years. But have you ever thought about it when it comes to the water you use? 

Cities have been thinking about it for a long time. Water departments across the U.S. have been treating and reusing wastewater for things like irrigation and watering golf courses. 

As cities grow and climate change compromises our water supply, some are going a step farther – cleaning wastewater enough to make it safe to drink.

But what does it take to make water that clean? And how are they getting past that “ick” factor? 

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Amanda Williams