VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. — Daytona Beach is working with the state to explore whether it can take water from the toilet to the tap.
The city’s pilot program examining the process wrapped in October.
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Deputy Utilities Director Eric Smith said it is an option cities are exploring as there is a need to find alternative water sources to accommodate the 1,000 people moving to Florida each day.
Smith said the information gleaned from the Daytona Beach study could help the state establish standards for the process.
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“This facility was able to meet the primary and secondary drinking water standards,” he said.
The process starts with water coming through the system as part of the filtration process. Next, the treated water goes through reverse osmosis before it is tested to see if it meets drinking water standards. During the process, Smith said, the water never leaves the facility or enters the city’s drinking supply.
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He emphasized that, at this time, there are no plans for the city to use treated wastewater in the drinking supply.
The city will take what it learned over the last two years and compile a report to help the state decide next steps.
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