Feasibility of water recycling being studied

UConn officials are beginning the process of analyzing and, if feasible, building a microfiltration plant that could help reduce the University’s demand for potable water  by 300,000 to 500,000 gallons of water a day.

The process, which has been used successfully in other states, would use non-potable, treated effluent to provide make-up water for the boilers and cooling towers at the Central Utilities Plant.

The reclaimed water could potentially be used for irrigation purposes as well.

The Board of Trustees recently authorized $550,000 for engineering and initial construction of a plant, should the study indicate the idea is feasible.

“Before we fully commit to the project, we want the engineers to study the process and tell us what needs to be done, what could be done, and at what cost,” says Thomas Q. Callahan, associate vice president for administration and operations.

Callahan says the plan involves initial processing and diversion of some of the effluent produced by the sewage treatment plant off LeDoyt Road to the cogeneration plant on Glenbrook Road.