From waste to water: How Yuma helps protect the Colorado River
Andrea Turisk
YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – Here in Yuma, we rely on the Colorado River, but instead of looking upstream for solutions, experts say we should also look at the water we’ve already used.
UCLA Environmental Science Practicum Director Noah Garrison says the Colorado River is facing a two-to-four million acre feet shortage projected for future years.
A new report from UCLA and The Natural Resource Defense Council says wastewater recycling could help solve the west’s water crisis.
“If were facing a shortfall on the Colorado River, creating additional water supply based on municipal wastewater can really offset that loss were facing,” Director Garrison shared.
According to the report, Arizona recycles about 78% of wastewater. In Yuma, the city says wastewater plays a growing role in the conservation strategy.
Jeremy McCall, the City of Yuma Utilities Director says, “About 40% of the water we treat ends up at the waste water plants. Those go through different processes and both wastewater plants discharge to the environment. One discharges into the Colorado River. One discharges into the aquifer.”
Arizona leads the region in wastewater recycling. If other basin states followed suit, the west could save up to 1.3 million acre- feet of water each year.
McCall says wastewater is the source for a lot of environmental accounting: “In our community and I’d say even outside the City of Yuma. Our friends in Somerton and San Luis, they also discharge into waterways of the U.S. and that water is recycled into their communities.”
Experts say water reuse is one of the most powerful tools we have to protect the Colorado River, cities like Yuma are showing whats possible when you make every drop count.