The Guardian found that 63% of people would drink wastewater that had been treated this way. Half the world is facing water shortages, so is it time for us all to start drinking recycled sewage? It might have come from sewage, but it’s certainly cleaner than the tap water you currently have. But what many people don’t realise is that we already rely on recycled sewage in many Australian water supplies. Image caption Some Londoners were less than enthusiastic about the idea . The thought of drinking your own urine might eek many, and quite frankly it isn’t advisable, but this new process is very advanced. Normal drinking water has an average TDS content of 215 parts per million. Poll: are you happy to drink recycled sewage water? Simon Evans, a spokesman for Thames Water stated that additional water will be required to keep up with the increase in demand from 9 million now to 10.4 million by … Simon Evans, a spokesman for Thames Water stated that additional water will be required to keep up with the increase in demand from 9 million now to 10.4 million by 2040. There are some pretty pronounced snags. Thames Water have proposed the idea of implementing this as a means to ensure sustainable drinking water in coming years. It could impact on the river ecosystem and the additional strain of removing chemicals from the sewage would require some pretty radical changes. 8. Compared to the Silicon Valley treated water, that’s a whopping 175 parts per million difference in terms of its TDS content. Offering cutting-edge products and technology, as well as internationally renowned consultancy, the UK’s adaptable and innovative solutions can help to address any water-related challenge, wherever it may be in the world.The UK water industry can draw on decades of experience in developing integrated water-resource ma… The end result, is water with 99.99% less pathogens. Because recycled water is put directly back into use, the process saves water that might otherwise be lost through runoff or contamination 3.Recycling water also saves potable water for the general public since industries such as agriculture and manufacturing can take advantage of the low-cost recycled water to irrigate fields or supply factories with water for manufacturing … So it might have come from waste, but it’s safer than what you might be currently getting. Thames Water have proposed the idea of implementing this as a means to ensure sustainable drinking water in coming years. Recycled water for non-potable use. It might have come from sewage, but it’s certainly cleaner than the tap water you currently have. ... the quality of drinking water in England and Wales is the subject of legally enforceable standards regulated by the Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI). Thames Water has proposed this as one way of ensuring it can provide an adequate water supply for Londoners in the future. Oh dear me, are we going to be drinking sewage from now on? The main purpose of the facility is to treat sewage water using a multistep system of microfiltration, reverse osmosis and ultraviolet rays. The UK is home to a highly successful water industry – and one that is ready to respond to global opportunities. The Distilled Water Company is the UK’s largest supplier of distilled water to businesses and domestic customers in containers from ten litres through to 1000 litre IBC’s. Poll: are you happy to drink recycled sewage water? Mogden Sewage Treatment Works in Isleworth. But it’s still water from sewage. Yet, others in the scientific field are finding new ways to make use of waste that doesn’t involve dumping it into rivers and potentially polluting our drinking water supplies. In its State of the Nation report for 2006, the Institution of Civil Engineers also called for a 20% rise in water prices to fund improved supply. This has helped reduce the amount of water leaked by 27%. Compared to the Silicon Valley treated water, that’s a whopping 175 parts per million difference in terms of its TDS content. As a fledgling site, the plant only produces 8 million gallons of water. Although it might still eek you out, it is said to be as pure as distilled water. Fixing leaks, introducing metering and increasing awareness are some of the techniques that have being used, but by 2025, additional measures will need to be taken. The Water Delivery Company Unit C, 2 Endeavour Way Wimbledon London SW19 8UH Phone: 0845 006 3309. Britain should tackle future droughts by recycling more sewage effluent as drinking water, civil engineers say. I stumbled upon a poll on whether people are willing to drink recycled sewage water. Thames Water has proposed this as one way of ensuring it can provide an adequate water supply for Londoners in the future. When you think of sewage, an awry stench is the first thing that probably comes to mind. Public perception is the go ahead needed to make the decision to invest in the new treatment protocols that would be required. Reuse may include irrigation of gardens and agricultural fields or replenishing surface water and groundwater (i.e., groundwater recharge).Reused water may also be directed toward fulfilling certain needs in … Reclaimed or recycled water (also called wastewater reuse or water reclamation) is the process of converting wastewater into water that can be reused for other purposes. Each fiber is lined with fine pores that measure 0.1 micron in diameter. As a result, salts, viruses and other particles such as pharmaceuticals, personal care products and pesticides are filtered out. In fact San Diego is already drinking recycled water because it imports 85% of its water from Northern California and the Colorado River, into which upstream communities like Las Vegas discharge wastewater that is later treated for drinking purposes. The next step is reverse osmosis: a process of passing water through membranes via high pressure. There are many factors to get right to meet water conservation targets. As is, the new technique is being used to treat water from older recycling systems and mixing it with existing reprocessed water. Put in perspective, that’s a 1/300th of the width of human hair. Water recycling is the process of taking effluent (wastewater and sewage) and treating it so that it can be reused.For potable (drinkable) use, the recycled water has to be treated to a sufficiently high level that it's suitable for human consumption. This is true to some degree everywhere. The water is not seen again until it reaches your tap – this guarantees that the water you drink remains clean and fresh. We ask you to accept cookies in order to use our website. Drinking recycled sewage is a very confronting topic. Yep, human waste is now being recycled to give us refreshing drinking water. Most urban areas in Australia are reticulated, and receive water directly to the point of use. At the initial phase, treated water is fed through small tubes in a microfiltration unit, featuring straw-like hollow fibers. These fibers then filter out solids, bacteria, protozoa and possible viruses. Would you? Image caption Some Londoners were less than enthusiastic about the idea . I stumbled upon a poll on whether people are willing to drink recycled sewage water. Wastewater would be put upstream to mix with river water before going to a drinking water treatment works. Finally, ultraviolet light shoots the water in chambers, acting as a powerful disinfectant and eliminating and remaining viruses and trace organic compounds. That’s because it consists of human waste, something we find revolting and don’t have much use for unless if we want to grow an organic cabbage patch. I can’t tell you exactly what the policies in the UK are on sewage effluent (water filtered from sewage) but all water has at one time been mixed with poop. Normal drinking water has an average TDS content of 215 parts per million. Yucky as that may sound, it already happens to an extent anyway. Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube. The end result is premium quality H20 that is better than average drinking water. We've already replaced over 1,300 miles with new plastic pipes since 2006. In other words, the purified H20 has a total dissolved solids (TDS) content of 40 parts per million. Did you know? Officials in the heart of Silicon Valley, Santa Clara County, USA, have built a high-tech water purification plant worth about £44-million. Recycled toilet waste could be introduced to London's tap water, under plans being considered by Thames Water… We also share information about your use of our site with our marketing, and analytics teams. poll on whether people are willing to drink recycled sewage water. Recycled toilet waste could be introduced to London's tap water, under plans being considered by Thames Water. Although it is only an idea at present, public opinion is already being sought on the matter. We have 20,000 miles of water pipes, some of which are over 150 years old. In fact, scientists in Silicon Valley have found a way to turn sewage into drinking water. These could include the construction of additional reservoirs, new irrigation strategies and wastewater reuse. In its State of the Nation report for 2006, the Institution of Civil Engineers also called for a 20% rise in water prices to fund improved supply. These cookies are used for performance and advertising purposes. What is recycled water? Britain should tackle future droughts by recycling more sewage effluent as drinking water, civil engineers say.