El Paso—This desert city receives less than nine inches of rain a year and experienced the two hottest years in its recorded history in 2023 and 2024. But El Paso Water began preparing decades ago for a hotter, drier climate. On Thursday, the utility broke ground on its latest project: an advanced water purification facility that will deliver 10 million gallons of purified water per day from the city’s wastewater stream directly into its drinking water supply.
The new Pure Water Center, scheduled to go online by 2028, is the first direct-to-distribution reuse facility in the United States. Treating wastewater for reuse as drinking water has long been controversial, but as technology advances and water resources dwindle, more cities are exploring the option. Phoenix and Tucson are expected to follow El Paso’s lead, and other Texas communities, as well as states like Colorado and California, are considering similar facilities.
“El Paso, Texas, is the center of the universe in water recycling right now,” said Gilbert Trejo, vice president of operations at the utility during the groundbreaking.
A decade in the making
El Paso Water began a pilot study in 2016 to test the direct reuse of sewage and other wastewater using a four-step purification process. The water was tested in state-certified laboratories and met all drinking water standards. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) reviewed the pilot data and authorized the utility to move forward with the design of a full-scale facility.
After nearly a decade of planning, TCEQ gave final approval for construction in October 2024. The source water will come from the Roberto Bustamante Wastewater Treatment Plant and go through an advanced multiple-barrier system.
Source: Courtesy of El Paso Water
How the purification works
The treatment process begins with reverse osmosis, separating water molecules from other substances. This is followed by hydrogen peroxide and ultraviolet light to kill bacteria, then activated carbon to absorb chemicals and compounds. Finally, chlorine is added for disinfection. TCEQ requires a real-time online monitoring system with alarms and automatic shut-off capabilities.
The utility will also launch public education campaigns to discourage residents and businesses from putting chemicals and pharmaceuticals down the drain. Trejo acknowledged that unwanted materials will still enter the sewer system, but emphasized the design of the treatment process accounts for this.
“Before we start to break any type of threshold that would worry us, we will know well in advance so that we can take action,” said Trejo.
Concerns and commitments
Environmental advocates remain cautious, particularly regarding contaminants of emerging concern like PFAS, which are not yet regulated in drinking water.
The nonprofit Food and Water Watch warned:“It’s impossible to monitor every potential toxin in a direct potable reuse system.”
Trejo responded by noting that the process was specifically designed to remove pharmaceuticals, emerging contaminants, and even future unknown pollutants. To better understand the source water, the utility began collecting data from the sewer system in 2016 and brought in an independent panel of experts through the National Water Research Institute to review the plant design.
