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Public Works outlines water-reuse master plan, pilot and next steps
Summary
Public Works Director Gary Janssen told the council the draft master plan proposes industrial, indirect and direct potable reuse to drought-proof Wichita, noted a feasibility study approved by the Bureau of Reclamation and said state legislation enabling KDHE to write reuse regulations became law in April 2026; staff will seek pilot funding and a council amendment in early July.
Gary Janssen, Director of Public Works and Utilities, presented a draft water-reuse master plan that envisions industrial reuse and both indirect and direct potable reuse as tools to strengthen Wichita’s long-term water supply.
The plan—prepared with CDM Smith—responds to multi-year drought effects and contemplates a phased approach including a pilot project, regulatory development and broad public engagement. Janssen said ‘‘this became law in April 2026,’’ referring to recent state legislation that authorizes KDHE to begin drafting reuse regulations.
Janssen emphasized the scale of the challenge: the city’s treatment plant currently sends about 25,000,000 gallons per day of treated effluent downstream while average community demand is roughly 50,000,000 gallons per day. He described two reuse paths: indirect reuse (augmenting supplies and recharge, including potential return to Cheney Reservoir) and direct potable reuse (advanced treatment blended into the raw-water supply), and explained the multi-barrier treatment chain—ultrafiltration, reverse osmosis, and ultraviolet disinfection—used in pilots elsewhere.
The city has submitted and received approval for a feasibility study from the Bureau of Reclamation, Janssen said, a step that makes federal funding eligible. Staff intend to bring an amendment to the council around July 7 to authorize initial funding for a pilot, form a steering committee and continue KDHE regulatory collaboration. Janssen also noted ongoing work with the Division of Water Resources to confirm downstream water-rights and cautioned that conveyance and siting costs will shape how reuse is implemented.
Council members asked about grant prospects, state matching programs and loan options. Janssen said staff are pursuing Bureau of Reclamation Title 16 funds, working with the Kansas infrastructure hub on matching grants, and assessing state loan programs for large-scale phases of reuse. He also flagged that reuse investments are capital intensive and that the pilot will inform cost, rate impacts and timelines.
The presentation concluded with a plan for public outreach—including an on-site demonstration trailer, a drinking station to compare incoming and treated water, and education efforts involving district advisory boards and schools—that staff said will accompany any pilot.
