Kitsap Recycled Water was founded by
Kitsap County Public Works,
Silverdale Water District, and
Kitsap Public Utility District to promote a sustainable water supply in Kitsap County by using recycled water. Membership is open to all agencies in Kitsap County that have an interest in producing or distributing Class A recycled water. The Kitsap Recycled Water logo will be displayed where the water is in use.
Why recycle water?
Kitsap County does not receive water from melted snowpack like most other Washington counties. We depend on rainfall for our drinking water supply. Rainfall varies in different regions of our County, and there is no way to guarantee how much we'll receive in a given year.
The average Kitsap County resident uses 100 gallons of our groundwater supply each day. Only a small percentage (approximately 10%) is actually used for drinking. Kitsap Recycled Water aims to recapture this resource to produce and distribute Class A recycled water for non-drinking uses.
By using recycled water for non-drinking uses, we can help conserve our groundwater supply for future generations.
It's the right water for the right use.
How is water recycled?
Water that leaves our wastewater treatment plants is already safe for the environment. An additional level of treatment is added to remove suspended solids before recycled water can be produced.
At Central Kitsap Treatment Plant, this is accomplished by a sand filtration system that can produce up to four million gallons of recycled water each day. In Port Gamble, water is filtered through special membranes that let water molecules pass through but leave pollutants behind. Processes are selected based on the volume of wastewater treated. However, the end product is the same - clean, clear water.
The water must go through a final stage of disinfection, such as chlorination, before it can be used as Class A recycled water.
Who produces the recycled water?
Class A recycled water will be produced by Kitsap County Public Works at Central Kitsap Treatment Plant and Kitsap PUD at their wastewater facility in Port Gamble. The water will be distributed and used in different ways to help conserve our drinking water supplies.
Silverdale Water District (SWD) has partnered with Kitsap County to distribute recycled water produced at the Central Kitsap Treatment Plant (CKTP) in Brownsville.
Is it safe?
The Washington State Departments of Health and Ecology have defined four classes of reclaimed, or recycled, water – A, B, C, and D. Kitsap County and Kitsap PUD will produce Class A recycled water, which is the highest quality. The water is approved for public contact and for almost any use except drinking. Kitsap Recycled Water will be continually monitored and tested to meet and exceed quality standards.
Recycled water is not a new concept. Los Angeles County was the first in the U.S. to provide treated wastewater for irrigation in 1929. Since that time, it has been implemented around the world and in use with no known illnesses reported.
How will it be used?
Class A recycled water will be used for non-drinking purposes only. It will not come in contact with our drinking water supply and will always be labeled when in use.
In the Central Kitsap region, Silverdale Water District will distribute recycled water to commercial customers. Class A recycled water will flush toilets at Haselwood YMCA and Harrison Hospital through a separate system of purple pipes. (Purple is the universal color for recycled water.) There is also potential to use the water for irrigation and other industrial and environmental uses.
In Port Gamble, recycled water will be produced by a smaller treatment plant operated by Kitsap PUD. This water will be used to recharge the groundwater system for the Port Gamble area.
Other uses of recycled water will be determined by the needs of the community and the investment of potential customers, producers and distributors.
How much will it cost?
Kitsap Recycled Water is not yet available, but will be priced lower than potable water to encourage its use for non-drinking purposes. At this time, it is estimated that recycled water will be offered at around 80% of the cost of drinking water. Given the large quantities needed for potential uses such as irrigation, flushing toilets, and industrial use, customers will see a significant cost savings by using recycled water.
