Effluent Reuse Becoming More Popular in New Jersey
by Melisse Carasia Auriti and Ben Manhas, Bureaus of Point Source Permitting Regions 1 and 2

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Think REUSE, not Disposal! A reuse case in point is Evesham Township which reuses its effluent to irrigate its golf course.

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Did you know that New Jersey is actively implementing a beneficial reuse program? The importance of reusing wastewater effluent first came to light during the drought of 1999 when the state experienced firsthand the importance of protecting and conserving our potable water supplies. This year's drought, even more severe than the drought in 1999, has strongly reinforced the need to increase beneficial reuse in New Jersey.

Effluent reuse involves taking what was once considered waste, giving it a high degree of treatment, and using the resulting high-quality reclaimed water for new, beneficial uses. Many owners and managers of industrial facilities as well as domestic treatment works (DTW) are now realizing that reusing effluent is a "win-win" situation for them as well as for the environment. In fact, 15 facilities in New Jersey (listed below) are now actively providing effluent for reuse or are in the process of implementing a reuse program through their NJPDES permit. The Department has also approved over 70 temporary authorizations to allow reuse under the drought emergency administrative order.

What is so good about reusing effluent? It provides a continuous, clean and inexpensive source of water, which is especially important during times of drought and which is both environmentally and financially beneficial. It also lessens the demand on the state's potable water resources and reduces pollutant loading to New Jersey's rivers and streams.

Effluent reuse is divided into two broad categories: public access and restricted access. In public access applications, the reuse water is used in areas intended to be accessible to the general public such as golf courses, ball fields, and parks. This water must meet very stringent requirements to ensure safety and protection for human health and the environment. In restricted access applications, the reused water is expected to have very little or no contact with the general public. This water must meet requirements for protection of employees and the environment.

A reuse case in point is Evesham Township, which reuses its effluent (28 million gallons from February 2002 to the end of September 2002) to irrigate its golf course. The township has had no trouble keeping its greens "green" during this summer's drought. Bergen County Utilities Authority (BCUA) also practices reuse by providing the local PSEG electric generating station with over 500,000 gallons of water a day for use as cooling water. Some other ways effluent has been reused, as shown on the chart below, are for sewer jetting, street sweeping, landscape irrigation, vehicle washing, and as cooling tower make-up water. The possibilities are numerous.

For more information about incorporating effluent reuse into your NJPDES permit, please contact Ben Manhas in the Bureau of Point Source Permitting-Region 1 at (609) 633-3869 or Joe Mannick in the Bureau of Point Source permitting-Region 2 at (609) 292-4860, both of the Division of Water Quality.