AWWA REUSE52126

Hawaii's population is growing and with that growth, increasing amounts of water are used each and everyday. Throughout the state, conventional water sources such as groundwater and stream water are reaching the limits of their sustainable yields. Ironically, each year hundreds of millions of gallons of high quality reclaimed water are disposed of in Hawaii either through ocean outfalls or injection wells. More now than ever before, reclaimed water is being regarded as a valuable water resource which can greatly supplement existing water supplies as well as provide many other benefits. The public must be informed that besides providing many benefits, reclaimed water use is safe and has been successfully implemented for several years both in Hawaii and on the mainland. An uninformed public can delay or prevent the start up of water reuse projects because of environmental and/or health related concerns. This paper will describe a proactive program by the Hawaii Water Environment Association (HWEA) to educate the community about water reuse. This program, entitled the Hawaii Water Reuse Public Education Outreach Program, included the development of a promotional video and educational pamphlet. The program also involved the implementation of a 'speakers bureau' program which currently is providing educational presentations about water reuse to schools, community groups and to the general public. Includes 3 references, table.