UA faculty selected for Arizona DPR Technical Advisory Group

The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) has begun a process to revise the Arizona Administrative Code (A.A.C.) to allow for the expansion of potable reuse in the State of Arizona. The new rules will apply to facilities that are subject to the Safe Drinking Water Act as well as facilities providing pilot, demonstration, and educational functions.
 

As stated by ADEQ:

“Expanding potable reuse will improve the sustainability of Arizona’s water supplies. While potable reuse, direct and indirect, is currently allowed under ADEQ’s rules in A.A.C. Title 18, Chapter 9, Article 7, additional regulatory specificity is needed to ease water suppliers’ ability to engage in potable reuse” (Arizona Department of Environmental Quality, 2022).
 

The state regulatory body intends to rely heavily on stakeholder involvement and expertise during the revision process. To this end, a Technical Advisory Group (TAG) is being formed to assist in creating a more robust DPR rule and program than currently exists. The TAG will consist of 21 to 25 members with technical and policy level expertise, providing knowledge and experience on DPR-specific technology and engineering, wastewater and drinking water treatment technology and/or operations, Arizona water supplies and community planning, academic expertise in pathogens and chemistry, and more.
 

In late September 2022, three members of the TAG were chosen from among the University of Arizona’s Environmental Science Department. These include Drs. Charles Gerba and Luisa Ikner from WEST Center and Dr. Channah Rock from the Maricopa Agricultural Center. Congratulations and appreciation is extended to these individuals!