Recent and Upcoming Water Reuse Activities
Recent Releases
Updated September 2026
Join the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and leading organizations for an interactive webinar series designed to explore the evolving landscape of industrial water reuse. The series is organized into three sections: (1) Foundational Principles of Industrial Water Reduction and Reuse, (2) Identifying and Implementing Water Reuse Projects Across Industry Sectors, and (3) Strategies for Financing and Implementation. The first webinar, Seven Guidelines for Industrial Water Reuse, explored guidelines to help decision-makers assess the potential for water reuse in their facilities. The second webinar, Mapping Your Path Toward Water Reuse, will be held on Wednesday, September 23rd. Check out the full series schedule!
To advance water reuse, a robust, adaptable research strategy is needed to answer the scientific questions that underpin important policy decisions. The Water Research Foundation (WRF)’s report, Developing a Coordinated National Research Strategy on Water Reuse, aims to guide research decision-making by helping identify crucial projects and address knowledge gaps. (Action 7.2: Develop a Coordinated National Research Strategy)
This issue of the Potable Water Reuse Report explores the benefits and limitations of total organic carbon monitoring as a chemical control strategy for potable water reuse. Sign up to receive these reports! (Action 7.10: Implement the DoW-funded Water Reuse Consortium for Water Resiliency at Military and Municipal Facilities)
This report describes how automated adenosine triphosphate (ATP) monitoring can be used to verify the performance of distributed water reuse systems in near-real time, ultimately helping detect treatment process failures and facilitate decision-making during operations.
EPA convened a roundtable on the water workforce to discuss how to help recruit and retain individuals into meaningful careers in water, including water reuse, and identify opportunities for the EPA to help reduce barriers. This engagement will inform EPA’s efforts to revitalize the 2020 Water Workforce Initiative and create an online toolbox with resources that water systems, states and technical assistance providers can use to improve recruiting, development and retention.
This brochure from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development mission area highlights funding opportunities for water reuse and drought resilience projects. The publication describes eligible projects under a variety of USDA Rural Development Water and Environmental Programs. (Action 6.7: Increase Awareness of USDA Rural Development Funding for Water Reuse)
This Congressional Research Service report outlines and answers common questions about how data centers consume and discharge water. The publication also highlights the role of water reuse in supporting data center operations.
This Congressional Research Service publication summarizes federal projects and programs that support wastewater, drinking water and water supply infrastructure, including water reuse initiatives.
Water Reuse Funding Awards and Opportunities
DOE's National Alliance for Water Innovation Seeks Proposals for Industrial Water Reuse Technologies
NAWI issued an RFP to accelerate the development and demonstration of affordable, innovative, onsite water-reuse systems and improve the safety, security, and affordability of America’s water supply. This $12 million RFP targets three high-priority, non-traditional water sources at U.S. industrial sites: cooling water, process and rinse water, and wastewater treatment effluent. Interested applicants must submit a concept paper by September 15, 2026, at 5 p.m. PT to be eligible to submit a full proposal. Full proposals are due by November 24, 2026, at 5 p.m. PT. View additional information on the RFP. (Action 4.10: Advance Reuse and Desalination Technologies through the Second Phase of NAWI)
In Case You Missed It
This update includes an opening message from Jess Kramer, EPA’s Assistant Administrator for Water, and provides an overview of the 27 new WRAP actions that were announced during the WRAP 2.0 event. It also shares summaries of seven completed WRAP actions and highlights recent WRAP action outputs and activities. (Action 10.3: Facilitate Implementation of the Water Reuse Action Plan)
In this webinar, EPA Water Reuse Program team members discussed the Water Reuse Action Plan 2.0 initiative, highlighting the EPA’s priorities to advance water reuse in key industrial sectors, such as manufacturing and Artificial Intelligence. Presenters also demonstrated use of the REUSExplorer—the EPA’s searchable tool for navigating summaries of state reuse regulations and guidelines. Additionally, the webinar provided insight into the EPA’s 2025 Risk-Based Framework for Developing Microbial Treatment Targets document, which is intended to help states identify pathogen treatment targets for different water reuse scenarios.
The Water Environment Federation (WEF) developed the circular water economy initiative to promote approaching water as a renewable resource by using advanced technologies, reducing pollution and closing water loops within industrial, agricultural and municipal systems. Circular Water Economy 101: Closing the Loop discusses the circular water economy, and water reuse’s role in it, through the initiative’s three core strategies: Reduce, Recover and Regenerate. (Action 4.11: Accelerate the Circular Water Economy Through Innovation)
WEF Publishes Water Reuse White Paper to Support Water Reuse Rulemaking for the Great Lakes and MSRB
This white paper aims to accelerate a water reuse rulemaking in the Great Lakes and Mississippi River Basin (MSRB) states by providing key background information for stakeholders, including regulators. This publication discusses rulemaking approaches in other states to provide practical guidance for advancing water reuse in the Great Lakes and MSRB region. (Action 2.20: Identify Water Reuse Opportunities in the Mississippi River Basin States)
This white paper discusses opportunities for leveraging stormwater to transition towards a circular water economy. By capturing stormwater for beneficial uses such as aquifer recharge, communities can harness the value of stormwater and enhance the reliability of their water systems. (Action 4.11: Accelerate the Circular Water Economy Through Innovation)
The State Revolving Funds provide low-cost loans and other financial assistance to communities for a wide range of water infrastructure projects, including water reuse projects. The EPA convened a roundtable on water infrastructure programs, including the State Revolving Funds, to identify and address challenges in program implementation that can result in delays in vital drinking water, wastewater and stormwater projects. EPA Assistant Administrator for Water Jess Kramer was joined by states, water associations, technical assistance providers and representatives from small communities to identify real actions that will be taken to ensure that infrastructure funding is invested efficiently and effectively to benefit Americans through stronger water infrastructure. (Action 6.2A: Communicate Eligibility of Water Reuse in SRF Programs)
DC Water celebrated the groundbreaking of the Pure Water DC Discovery Center at the Blue Plains Water Resource Recovery Facility. This facility will explore methods to enhance the reliability of Washington, D.C.’s water supplies, including water recycling. DC Water anticipates opening the center to the public in 2027. (Action 1.7: Increase the Water Supply Resilience of the Nation’s Capital through Water Reuse)
Produced water, generated by oil and gas production operations, can be treated and reused for beneficial applications. A July 22nd webinar from the New Mexico Produced Water Research Consortium’s monthly series explored risk assessment fundamentals that are helpful in considering opportunities to treat produced water for fit-for-purpose reuse. (Action 4.2: Implement New Mexico Produced Water Research Consortium)
Reclamation and several major water agencies in California, Nevada and Arizona signed an agreement to explore how desalination and water recycling can be implemented across the Colorado River Basin. The Memorandum of Understanding launches a collaborative effort that facilitates interstate cooperation and strengthens water supply reliability through reuse.
Watch the EPA and U.S. Chamber of Commerce Highlight how Critical Water Reuse is for Sporting Events
Reliable water infrastructure makes major sporting events possible. In this 16-minute segment, the EPA’s Assistant Administrator for Water, Jess Kramer, and the U.S. Chamber discussed how water reuse underpins the operations of several major stadiums across the U.S., such as Levi’s Stadium and SoFi Stadium.
The projects, funded by a $1.5 million grant from the California State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB), invite research on key potable and non-potable water reuse topics, including validation methods for treatment technologies. The Water Research Foundation (WRF) is accepting applications. Learn more about the grants here.
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This page is updated frequently. If you’re looking for previously posted content that is no longer here (e.g., a past webinar, published report), you may be able to find it in our Water Reuse Information Library or Curated Topical Reuse Resources page. The latest entry on the Topical Resources page spotlights onsite non-potable reuse.
Links to websites outside of the EPA website are provided for the convenience of the user. Inclusion of information about a website, an organization, a product, or a service does not represent endorsement or approval by EPA, nor does it represent EPA opinion, policy or guidance unless specifically indicated. EPA does not exercise any editorial control over the information that may be found at any non-EPA website.