How is recycled water used indirectly for drinking?

1 Answer
Nov 9, 2017

After treating watewater it is injected into the ground. Later this can be used (one example El Paso, Texas Wastewater Treatment Plant).

Explanation:

Reclaimed or recycled water is obtained after a wastewater source is treated. This water is pretty safe to be injected into ground, discharged into rivers and lakes or oceans/seas.

In subsurface environment, groundwater is found. Groundwater is fed by streams, precipitation, lakes, etc. If you inject your reclaimed water (treated wastewater) into the ground, you feed your groundwater.

One example I know is the El Paso, Texas, wastewater treatment facility. They inject their treated wastewater effluent into the ground. Maybe in the future this water will reach (or is reaching) the water supply wells in the area.