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In Purified: How Recycled Sewage Is Transforming Our Water, veteran journalist Peter Annin shows that wastewater has become a surprising weapon in America's war against water scarcity. Annin probes deep into the water reuse movement in five water-strapped states—California, Texas, Virginia, Nevada, and Florida. He drinks beer made from purified sewage, visits communities where purified sewage came to the rescue, and examines how one of the nation's largest wastewater plants hopes to recycle one hundred percent of its wastewater by 2035. At each stop, readers come face to face with the people who are struggling for, and against, recycled water. While the current filtration technology transforms sewage into something akin to distilled water—free of chemicals and safe to drink—water recycling's challenge isn't technology. It's terminology. Concerns about communities being used as "guinea pigs," sensationalist media coverage, and taglines like "toilet to tap" have repeatedly crippled water recycling efforts. Potable water recycling has become the hottest frontier in the race for expanded water supply options. But can public opinion turn in time to avoid the worst consequences?
Purified's fast-paced narrative cuts through the fearmongering and misinformation to make the case that recycled water is direly needed in the climate-change era. Water cannot be taken for granted anymore—and that includes sewage.
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Creators
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Publisher
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Release date
November 9, 2023 -
Formats
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Kindle Book
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OverDrive Read
- ISBN: 9781642832822
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EPUB ebook
- ISBN: 9781642832822
- File size: 4208 KB
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Languages
- English
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Reviews
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Starred review from November 1, 2023
Environmental journalist Annin (The Great Lakes Water Wars) presents a geographical and political overview of the fresh water shortage and proposed solutions throughout the U.S. The book covers the failure of San Diego's efforts to turn waste water into drinkable water in the 1990s, credited in part to the terrible tagline "From toilet to tap"; the successful Water Factory 21 project in Orange County, CA; coastline dangers in Norfolk, VA; Texas's attempts at potable programs in Big Spring and Wichita Falls; Tampa's ongoing issues; Los Angeles's recent big proposals; and the continuous disappearance of the Colorado River. The science is as interesting as the politics in this book. Each chapter reveals that the imperative for clean water isn't universally accepted in each community. Maps at the beginning of each chapter aid in the understanding of the geography, and numerous charts explain the science of purification, including the differences in East Coast and West Coast systems. There are water success stories in Wisconsin and New England, but the threat of mega droughts and aridification never abates. VERDICT A concise, imperative primer on the science and politics of the United States' fresh-water crisis.--Tina Panik
Copyright 2023 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
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