Discharge Avoidance and Potable Reuse: Shaping Water Management in the Western U.S.

John Rehring discusses how stricter wastewater discharge permits are driving utilities in the western U.S. toward potable reuse solutions,
Sept. 30, 2025
2 min read

Key Highlights

  • - Stricter discharge permits for temperature, salinity, and nutrients are prompting utilities to seek alternative water management strategies.
  • - Potable reuse offers a cost-effective and regulatory-compliant solution to meet water supply needs amid evolving standards.
  • - Community trust and transparent engagement are essential for the successful adoption of reuse projects.
  • - Demonstration projects provide valuable insights, build confidence, and showcase benefits of potable reuse technologies.
  • - Regulatory clarity and demonstration facilities are key to accelerating the adoption of direct potable reuse in the western U.S.

In this interview, John Rehring, Vice President and Senior Project Manager at Carollo Engineers, discusses how discharge avoidance is shaping potable reuse projects in the western U.S. Rehring explains that increasingly stringent wastewater discharge permits — covering temperature, salinity, and nutrients — are pushing utilities toward alternatives that reduce or eliminate discharges. Potable reuse offers a cost-effective path, especially as regulations for direct potable reuse (DPR) take hold in states like Colorado, California, Florida, and Arizona. He emphasizes transparent community engagement, demonstration projects, and regulatory clarity as critical factors in advancing reuse solutions to meet both compliance and water supply challenges.

Timestamps:

  • 00:00:33 – What discharge avoidance means and why it matters

  • 00:01:23 – Regulatory drivers pushing costly treatment upgrades

  • 00:03:02 – New challenges: temperature, salinity, and nutrient limits

  • 00:04:22 – How DPR regulations accelerate adoption

  • 00:06:13 – Importance of community trust and regulatory oversight

  • 00:07:48 – Colorado Springs demonstration project example

  • 00:09:33 – Lessons learned from DPR demonstrations

  • 00:10:53 – Five benefits of demonstration facilities

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About the Author

Mandy Crispin

Mandy Crispin is the editor-in-chief of WaterWorld, having joined Endeavor Business Media in 2023. She lives in Las Vegas, Nevada and is a graduate of University of Nevada, Las Vegas. She has internal and external corporate communications experience in disparate industries including online retail, gaming, plastics and is now enjoying exploring the water utility space. Crispin can be reach at [email protected].

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