INLAND EMPIRE, CA – The Inland Empire Utilities Agency (IEUA/Agency) was recognized by the WateReuse Association during their 39th Annual WateReuse Symposium in Denver, Colorado. The Agency was chosen as a winner in the Excellence in Action category for its over 50-year commitment to water resiliency through the innovative use of recycled water for commercial operations, watershed restoration projects, irrigation, indirect potable reuse, and more.
“Dating back to the 1970s, IEUA has remained at the forefront of innovation to develop and store recycled water supplies within the region,” stated IEUA Board President Marco Tule. “Early on, IEUA and our regional partners identified wastewater not as a waste, but as a resource. Today, we currently receive over 50 million gallons per day of wastewater through its regional treatment plants. This water is treated to Title 22 regulations set forth by the State of California Division of Drinking Water and distributed throughout the service area as recycled water. IEUA delivers this drought resilient supply not just through purple pipe for agriculture, municipal irrigation, and industrial uses, but also through indirect potable reuse for groundwater replenishment to supplement drinking water supplies. Through collaborative partnerships and cutting-edge technology, IEUA continues to maximize the use of recycled water supplies as a key component of the region’s water supply strategy.”
The WateReuse Awards for Excellence recognize the people, projects, and partnerships that demonstrate exceptional leadership toward building more resilient communities through water reuse. Award recipients use water recycling in novel ways to solve water management challenges, advance policies that facilitate greater adoption of water recycling, and inspire others through their innovation and leadership.
IEUA’s award nomination focused on its state-of-the-art recycled water and groundwater recharge programs, investments in critical infrastructure such as the Regional Water Recycling Plant No. 5 Expansion Project and planning for an Advanced Water Purification Facility, and recycled water partnerships that remain committed to developing long-term solutions to California’s cyclical water supply challenges.
“The Agency prides itself on delivering compliant, reliable, high-quality recycled water to our customers,” continued Tule. “We look forward to continuing to pave the way to climate resiliency through our region’s innovative, all-encompassing water resource management plan built around water security. Thank you to WateReuse for their recognition and honor of our over 50-year commitment to supporting local water supply reliability.”