People often think about recycling in terms of putting your soda pop cans in a different bin and the aluminum is broken down and reused in other products. It's often thought of being applied to aluminum cans, glass bottles, office/newspaper, and plastic containers. Water can be recycled just as those other materials.

According to the EPA, water recycling is useful because reuses treated wastewater for useful functions such as agricultural and landscape irrigation, industrial processes, toilet flushing, and replenishing ground water supplies.

Water is sometimes recycled and reused onsite; for example, when an industrial facility recycles water used for cooling processes. A common type of recycled water is water that has been reclaimed from municipal wastewater, or sewage. The term water recycling is generally used synonymously with water reclamation and water reuse.

Through the natural water cycle, the earth has recycled and reused water for millions of years. Water recycling, though, generally refers to projects that use technology to speed up these natural processes. Water recycling is often characterized as "unplanned" or "planned." A common example of unplanned water recycling occurs when cities draw their water supplies from rivers, such as the Colorado River and the Mississippi River, that receive wastewater discharges upstream from those cities. Water from these rivers has been reused, treated, and piped into the water supply a number of times before the last downstream user withdraws the water. Planned projects are those that are developed with the goal of beneficially reusing a recycled water supply.

Their are some really great reasons to support recycled or reclaimed water that benefit the environment as well. That includes the ability to provide a dependable, locally-controlled water supply. Water recycling can help us find ways to decrease the diversion of water from sensitive ecosystems. Other benefits include decreasing wastewater discharges and reducing and preventing pollution. Recycled water can also be used to create or enhance wetlands and riparian habitats.

Plants, wildlife, and fish depend on sufficient water flows to their habitats to live and reproduce. The lack of adequate flow, as a result of diversion for agricultural, urban, and industrial purposes, can cause deterioration of water quality and ecosystem health. Water users can supplement their demands by using recycled water, which can free considerable amounts of water for the environment and increase flows to vital ecosystems. This is why the creation of dams for energy all over the world negatively created harmful effects on eco systems that were dependent on adequate flow in rivers and streams.

Their are plenty of reasons why we must start thinking about every which way that we can preserve water. This is especially true for drought stricken areas of the world. This means rethinking the necessity of the suburban lawn, it means collecting rainwater for use in native/vegetable gardens, and it means supporting net zero energy buildings.

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