USGS Frequently Asked Questions
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Question:
Is it true that water coming out of sewage treatment plants is used for other purposes?
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Answer: Yes, it is called reclaimed wastewater, though its use is limited. Before you start to feel ill, no, it is not used further down the line as drinking water. It is most often used for irrigation and for water parks and golf courses.
In the U.S. in 1995 about 44,400 wastewater-treatment plants sent about 44,600 million gallons per day of treated water back into the environment. About 983 million gallons per day was used again (reclaimed) after treatment, mainly as irrigation water.
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Source of this FAQ:
http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/qahome.html
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U.S. Department of the Interior |
U.S. Geological Survey