Texas town, facing drought, processes drinking water from wastewater

Three years of harsh drought have led one Texas city to significantly supplement its drinking water supply with wastewater, NPR reported.

Wichita Falls, Texas, has connected its wastewater plant to its drinking water purification plant via a 13-mile pipeline. The city will be the first in the nation where half of its drinking water is processed from wastewater.

Residents have expressed some concern regarding the so-called “toilet-to-tap” water recycling process, and the city is enacting an education campaign to clarify the science at work.

Despite strict restrictions that have led to a one-third decrease in water use, water supplies are expected to run out in two years.