Toilet water: not just for cats anymore
To some, being green means drinking unprocessed, chlorine free water. For others, it's a bit different. Let's just say they're more into recycling. Among the various places that planners are looking towards to supplement their water supplies, civic leaders in California are considering drinking from the toilet, so to speak. They want to treat sewage and then re-circulate it back to the water supply.
"Indirect potable water reuse," as it is called, is apparently an idea that's getting some serious attention in drought prone areas. Without knowing exactly how citizens will react to this idea, city councils in San Jose and San Diego are both exploring it as an option. The process includes chemicals, heavy scrubbing filters, and UV light, resulting in a product that management officials say exceeds drinking water standards. Even so, the water doesn't go directly to the tap, instead it's pumped underground to be eventually reintroduced into aquifers.
Whether or not it's a good idea to drink this water remains to be seen. The idea of pumping it into our pristine aquifers seems even more suspect. However, I do think it would be hilarious to see the ad campaigns for the world's 1st completely recycled bottled water, bottle and all.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
11-28-2007 @ 3:13PM
Macy said...
This is not that far off from some bottled water that we drink today. One of the majors uses the waste from their soda production. They filter it, add minerals, and sell it as filtered water.
I personally would have a hard time drinking or sharing with my kids water that I new came from a toilet flush.
Macy
http://childcareavenue.com
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11-28-2007 @ 3:29PM
Ian said...
What planet are YOU from? It's not cats, but DOGS - CANINES - DROOLING BEASTS, who like to drink from the toilet. Jeez, who can trust green fanatics like you when they can't even tell a cat from a dog?!
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12-01-2007 @ 3:42PM
Eddie said...
you idiot. my family has a cat and a dog, and the cat drinks from the toilet as well as the dog. it's cold water. they like cold water. they're both animals. derr!
12-01-2007 @ 4:27PM
Deanne said...
uhhh... my cats drink from the toilet
12-01-2007 @ 7:03PM
gina said...
my cats both drink form the toilet, so its not just dogs.
12-01-2007 @ 7:25PM
Joe said...
yeah, we've got a cat and a dog....the dog is smart enough not to drink from the toilet....the cat, on the other hand, not only drinks from it, but he crawls in to get closer
either way, filtered or not, the nut jobs in Cali can keep their toilet water.....ill take my chances with global warming, and not drink pee water thanks
12-01-2007 @ 7:42PM
Mikki said...
My cat drinks from the toilet. You must water yours with bottled spring water, no?
11-28-2007 @ 4:15PM
Cameron Cowles said...
Wow some people are dumb.. don't you realize that recycled water is all the same? The water we drink today has been here since the beginnings of the Earth and has been poop, pee, and everything in between. What does it matter as long as it is refiltered correctly?
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11-28-2007 @ 5:43PM
AlienFarmer said...
My cat drinks from the toilet, so does my roommate I suspect...
AlienFarmer
http://www.SolarCoupons.com
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11-29-2007 @ 5:18AM
Jack Chen said...
I am from the country of Singapore. Recycled waste water is piped straight back in. Check out 'Newater' on Google.
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12-01-2007 @ 2:06PM
Michael Mulvaney said...
This is nothing new in the U.S. as Toledo, Ohio has been doing it for 35+ years. Yuck!!!!!!!
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12-01-2007 @ 2:25PM
Angelwisp2bb said...
No WONDER I'm allergic to water! It figures.
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12-01-2007 @ 2:44PM
DixieMan aka: Bama said...
IDIOT'S
IT IS ALL BUSH'S FAULT
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12-01-2007 @ 3:14PM
Lil said...
As the man said before, all the water you have ever used has recycled since the Beginning. There is no new water.
The really incredible thing to me is that so many people are so completely ignorant about such a multitude of things, yet they use computers which implies a modicum of intelligence. How have you all managed to get through school??
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12-01-2007 @ 3:53PM
NORMA said...
MY DOGS DO NOT DRINK TOILET WATER AND I DON'T WANT TO DRINK IT EITHER. THE DOGS GET FRESH WATER EVERY DAY SAME AS ME. AND THAT IS THAT!!!!!!
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12-01-2007 @ 4:07PM
casey said...
my cat drinks from the toilet, George Bush showed her how
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12-01-2007 @ 4:13PM
Lisa said...
What's next? Recycled Urine?
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12-01-2007 @ 4:15PM
Lisa said...
What's Next? Recycled Urine?
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12-01-2007 @ 4:53PM
Mary said...
Of course, recycled urine! Thats what 'toilet water' is.
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12-01-2007 @ 4:57PM
Jeff8799 said...
Water sources are continually replenished with fresh water from rain and snow packs. Although this is fresh water it still is transported to resevoirs and lakes by way of the rivers and streams. The rest is tranfered throught the soil to end up in our underground natural aquifers. The earth is a natural filter and by the time the water gets through all the various layers of soil and rock, it is very clean. Do we have the technology to reproduce the natural filtering process that would give us good clean drinking water from gray water and that used to flush our toilets? Not really. Which is why they use chemicals and introduce UV light to the process. The product that comes from this process is clean drinkable water that you would never know came from the process. Re-intruducing it into our natural aquifers is not only sound but also allows the product to receive additional natural filtering.
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