Name ______Core ______Date ______

Clean Enough To Drink?

FORT WORTH, Texas. In 2011, west Texas endured the second-most severe drought in state history, leaving many communities in the region parched for drinking water. In fact, in some areas it's been easier to drill for oil than to find new sources of water. Now, after years of diminishing water supplies, some communities in Texas are resorting to a plan that might have seemed outlandish a generation ago: turning sewage into drinking water. Officials in Texas say the plan will bring millions of gallons of water to drier areas of the state. Some residents, however, are finding the idea of drinking recycled wastewater hard to swallow.

In 2011, construction began on a $13 million water treatment plant in Big Spring, Texas. The plant will be operated by the Colorado River Municipal Water District (CRMWD). Construction on the facility is scheduled to be completed in late 2012. At that time, officials expect that the facility will supply the region with 2 million gallons of much-needed drinking water a day.

The timing of the new treatment plant could not be better. In 2011, drought devastated the already arid region. Crops withered, and animals and fish died off by the thousands. Some climatologists have predicted that the drought could persist through 2012. If that happens, at least one of the three reservoirs that store drinking water in west Texas could dry up, and the region's water resources could drop from 65 million gallons a day to 45 million day, according to John Grant. Grant is the general manager of the CRMWD.

"We have limited water supplies in Texas, and you have to turn to other sources of water," Grant said.

Grant said that in addition to increasing the water supply, the new treatment facility could actually improve the taste of the region's water by removing the minerals and salt that give it a distinctive briny flavor. In order to do that—and to make it safe to drink—the sewage water must first be subjected to a long and complex treatment process. First, salt and impurities such as viruses and even traces of medicine must be removed. Then, the wastewater will be channeled into a lake or reservoir. There, it will be blended with fresh water. Eventually, the water will be pumped to the water-treatment facility. Once there, it will undergo several more rounds of cleaning, disinfection, and testing before finally reaching home faucets.

It's a process that has been used for years in Tucson, Arizona, parts of California, and in other countries.

It's happening all over the world," said Wade Miller. Miller is executive director of the WateReuse Association, which advocates for water recycling. "In some places…resources are down to very low levels, and this is one of the few resources available."

The idea to recycle sewage isn't new to Texas. Fort Worth has long used treated wastewater to water grass and trees and to irrigate crops. However, the new treatment plant in Big Spring will be the first in the state to provide drinking water. When the project was presented several years ago, there were no major protests during public hearings, said Grant. He claimed that most people didn't mind the idea once they understood that the treated water is safe to drink.

"Folks out here have accepted it because they understand what the value of water is," Grant said.

Still, some residents in west Texas need convincing that the water will be sanitary and safe to consume. Even the suggestion of drinking recycled sewage water has made some people in the region uneasy.

"It just doesn't sound very right, does it?" asked Liz Faught of Odessa. "I don't want to drink it."

Officials have worked to dispel any fears that people will be drinking their neighbors' wastewater. They promise that the system will yield clean, safe water. Many residents are prepared to put aside any squeamishness if it means having an abundant water supply during times of drought.

"Any water is good water, as far as I'm concerned," said Gary Fuqua, city manager in Big Spring, Texas.

So You Want To Be an...

URBAN PLANNER

What Do Urban Planners Do?

Picture this: You're walking through a neighborhood, and you start to daydream about what would make it better. A library here, a grocery store there...and maybe a park across the street. You're imagining yourself in the role of an urban planner. Urban planners work in two areas: planning and renewal. Their goal is to solve problems having to do with jobs, residents, and the environment by keeping in mind the present needs of a community and predicting what it will need in the future.

What Level of Education Is Required for This Job?

Becoming an urban planner starts with a BA in economics, geography, environmental design, or another related field. Most urban planning jobs also require at least a MA in urban planning or a related field. To earn the MA, students spend time in studios and laboratories, learning to solve planning problems. Planners can also earn a PhD in urban planning or in urban renewal.

What Is the Need for Urban Planners in the United States?

The government has given money to cities for improvement projects that may include new housing, roads, sewer systems, schools, and recreation facilities. Because of this, employment in urban planning is expected to grow.

How Much Money Do Urban Planners Earn?

According to the latest data, median annual earnings for urban planners are $56,630.

Dictionary

  1. arid (adjective) very dry
  2. briny (adjective) having a salty taste
  3. devastate (verb) to cause great destruction
  4. dispel (verb) to rid somebody's mind of a thought or idea, especially an incorrect one
  5. squeamishness (noun) the state of being disgusted or offended
  6. abundant (adjective) present in large amounts
  7. reservoir (noun) a large man-made lake or water tank where water is stored, often for farming or community use
  8. sanitary (adjective) completely clean and free of germs
  9. sewage (noun) waste and wastewater
  10. treatment facility (noun) a place where something is improved or managed

Multiple Choice: Circle the letter of the choice the best completes the statement. (2 points each)

  1. According to the article, why could the timing of the new treatment plant not be better?
  1. Because construction of the facility will take at least one whole year
  2. Because officials have just raised the $13 million necessary to build the plant
  3. Because residents of Big Spring refused to drink recycled water in 2010
  4. Because drought brought destruction to the already dry region in 2011

2. The best alternate headline for this article would be ______.

  1. Texas Communities Turn To Recycled Wastewater
  2. Protests Halt Public Hearing on Recycled Sewage Water
  3. Work Begins on State-of-the-Art Water Treatment Plant
  4. Western U.S. Suffers Second-Worst Drought Ever

3. The article states: "It's happening all over the world," said Wade Miller. Miller is executive director of the WateReuse Association. The group promotes water recycling. Which would be the closest antonym for the word promotes?

  1. Organizes
  2. Discourages
  3. Regulates
  4. Advertises

4. Which of these is a statement of fact?

  1. Wade Miller is executive director of the WateReuse Association, which promotes water recycling.
  2. People would be unwise to ignore climatologists' prediction that the drought in Texas could persist.
  3. No amount of cleaning, disinfection, and testing can make recycled wastewater appealing to drink.
  4. Gary Fuqua of Big Springs, Texas, has the right idea in saying that any water is better than no water.

5. Which is the closest antonym for the word diminish?

  1. Reduce
  2. Enlarge
  3. Vanish
  4. Disappear

6. Which of these statements is contrary to the ideas presented in this article?

  1. Climate experts forecasted that the drought in Texas will persist for three or four more years.
  2. Many people are ready to put aside any squeamishness about recycled sewage water if it means having an abundant water supply during a drought.
  3. Treated wastewater is already being used in Texas to water grass and trees and to irrigate crops.
  4. According to the CRMWD's general manager, there were no major protests during public hearings at which the recycling project was presented.

7. The author probably wrote this article in order to ______.

  1. Explain why some people react poorly to the idea of recycled water
  2. Convince the reader that recycled wastewater is safe to drink
  3. Provide an overview of plans to recycle wastewater in west Texas
  4. Describe the process that wastewater undergoes before it can be reused

8. Which statement from the article best supports the opinion that people will come to terms with the idea of recycled wastewater?

  1. "It just doesn't sound very right, does it?" asked Liz Faught of Odessa.
  2. "Folks out here have accepted it because they understand what the value of water is," Grant said.
  3. Officials have worked to remove any fears that people will be drinking their neighbors' wastewater.
  4. Even the suggestion of drinking recycled sewage water has made some people in the region uneasy.

Opinion Question: Now that you have read the article, indicate in the space below whether you agree or disagree with this statement. In your estimation, is it a good idea to convert sewage water into drinking water? (5 points)

Thought Question:What do you think about the decision to recycle sewage water into clean drinking water in Texas? Write your answer in the box below. (5 points)