This city is exploring an unconventional solution to water scarcity: sewage
Climate Change, Energy & Pollution Water Security Year in ReviewSummary
As climate change intensifies heat and drought and strains water supplies, cities are turning to interesting solutions. This NPR article spotlights how St. George, Utah—a fast-growing desert community—is investing over $1 billion in sewage recycling as a vital part of the district’s long-term water plan. This community, now home to over 200,000 people and is projected to double in 2025, lacks the water supply to support new residents. By the end of 2025, a waterwater recycling plant will treat sewage using screens, bacteria and UV light. The treated wastewater will initially be used for outdoor irrigation to free up drinking water for homes, and eventually used for drinking within two decades. The district also adopted conservation rules to eliminate grass on new developments and provide incentives for residents and businesses to remove their irrigated lawns.
Challenges remain such as:
- High costs, especially for a small community;
- Balancing cost efficiency, climate resiliency, and growth sustainability;
- Outdated policy or governance structures, and
- Complacency and unwillingness to adapt.
But with larger cities like Las Vegas and Phoenix who successfully implemented wastewater recycling, St. George’s approach may offer a blueprint for sustainable growth in smaller cities.