The Scottsdale Water Campus in Arizona has turned heads once again as a global forerunner in water recycling. The Campus was recently recognized for employing an innovative water purification system by the WateReuse Research Foundation and the Australian Water Recycling Centre of Excellence. According to the Scottsdale Independent, the treatment facility “can produce 20 million gallons a day of ultrapure recycled water for both groundwater recharge and golf course irrigation,” [1] helping the City of Scottsdale decrease its overall draw of groundwater by 90 percent [2].
During the mid-1980’s Arizona enacted the Groundwater Management Act (GMA) enforcing safe draws of water from its aquifers, hoping to preserve the state’s natural resources on water. Prior to the GMA, groundwater was the only source for Scottsdale’s water needs [2]. Reported by the Scottsdale Independent, the city hosts “an estimated 10 million visitors annually, with an economic impact to the city of a little over $4 billion” [1]. Due to the new regulations of the GMA, maintaining the landscape for these golf clubs became of great concern for many north Scottsdale courses.
In order to provide large turf irrigation without the use of groundwater, the City of Scottsdale and Desert Mountain Properties collaborated with 23 local golf clubs to invest $30 million for what is now called the Scottsdale Water Campus [1]. Since its opening in October of 1998, and part of a public-private partnership, the Scottsdale Water Campus functions as an indirect potable reuse facility and serves north Scottsdale golf courses. In 2014 alone, the system provided over 1.7 billion gallons of ultrapure water to the aquifer by recharging excess water not needed during the winter months [2].
This massive undertaking was accomplished through an elaborate system of pipelines, booster pump stations, reclaimed and advanced water treatment facilities, known as the Reclaimed Water Distribution System (RWDS) [1]. The Water Campus itself has several components such as the Water Reclamation Plant, the Advanced Water Treatment Facility, a recharge well field with 63 injection wells, and an advanced water quality lab [1].
The City of Scottsdale and the RWDS continue to benefit the surrounding community. Recharging the aquifer provides an additional source of water for emergency uses and was especially helpful during the last four years of recent droughts [2]. As a pioneer for indirect potable reuse, the Scottsdale Water Campus continues to highlight the importance of water reclamation and reuse.
[1] Scottsdale Water Recognized as Global Leader in Recycled Water Use. Scottsdale Independent
http://www.scottsdaleindependent.com/news/scottsdale-water-recognized-as-global-leader-in-recycled-water-use/
[2] City of Scottsdale. Water Supply. City of Scottsdale
http://www.scottsdaleaz.gov/water/water-supply#rw