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LOTT Class A reclaimed-water demonstration project moves forward; Lacey council hears update
Summary
At the Sept. 16 meeting councilmember reports said LOTT’s voluntary testing and a Class A reclaimed-water demonstration will position the region for future regulation and possible potable reuse. Lacey officials described the project as long-term and potentially useful to future water-supply resilience planning.
At its Sept. 16 meeting Lacey councilmembers heard an update on the Thurston County LOTT utility’s proactive testing of unregulated contaminants and on a Class A reclaimed-water demonstration project.
Councilmember Cox (LOT board representative) described LOTT’s voluntary testing of unregulated contaminants in wastewater and reclaimed water as a forward-looking effort ahead of anticipated state and federal requirements. She said the tests are intended to produce baseline data so the region understands what contaminants are present now and what future treatment will require. “LOTT anticipates that this testing is going to be required before long and we wanna be well positioned,” Cox said.
Cox also described a Class A reclaimed-water demonstration project that would treat wastewater to drinking-water standards as a proof-of-concept for future water-supply resilience. She said the demonstration will be a careful, multi-year process: “This is to prove that it can be done. … We will be the first in the state of Washington to do this project,” Cox said. She and other members emphasized the project’s long time horizon and the need to address public acceptance, monitoring and regulatory questions.
Why this matters Class A reclaimed-water demonstrations test approaches that could increase future water supplies and reduce pressure on source-water systems, particularly in a changing climate. The regional pilot is significant because it seeks to combine advanced treatment with testing and communication strategies before official regulations require such extensive monitoring.
Next steps Council members said the pilot is being formalized through interjurisdictional agreements; the next phases include demonstration planning, community engagement and regulatory coordination. Cox said the pilot is a demonstration — not immediate potable reuse in customers’ taps — and that the project period will include monitoring and evaluation before any future operational decision.
Ending LOTT’s voluntary testing and the Class A pilot position Lacey and regional partners to meet anticipated regulatory expectations while creating data to inform future decisions about reclaimed-water uses.
