… Now, an even more costly water project is about to break ground in the Carpinteria Valley—a $90 million system for converting wastewater to drinking water. It’s a joint project of the valley’s water and sanitary districts, and it’s the first of its kind in the county. The purified wastewater, 1.3 million gallons per day, will be enough to supply a quarter of the valley’s yearly water demand. … This kind of water recycling, called “indirect potable reuse,” or, more indelicately, “toilet-to-tap,” has been rejected by water agencies elsewhere on the South Coast as too expensive. But, armed with $34 million in state and federal grants and a 30-year, $50 million low-interest loan from the state, the Carpinteria Valley agencies are moving full steam ahead.

Other water recycling and desalination news:

• DW (Germany): The world ditched wasteful toilets, the US stayed behind
• County of San Luis Obispo: News release: Upcoming public meetings for the Desalination Executable Solution and Logistics (DESAL) Plan