August 15: MWMC Recycled Water
The Metropolitan Wastewater Management Commission (MWMC) was awarded $4M in federal drought resiliency funds for recycled water development, by the Bureau of Reclamation this past May. The $4 million came from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act.
Todd Miller, who serves as an Environmental Services Supervisor over the Planning and Policy Support group for the Metropolitan Wastewater Management Commission (MWMC), will present on how the grant award will be used to upgrade existing infrastructure at the Eugene Springfield regional wastewater treatment plant for water filtering, disinfection, storage, and conveyance to deliver up to 1.3 million gallons of Class A recycled water per day for public works and industrial uses in our area.
Recycled water has a variety of applications that can help reduce the impacts on our rivers by providing water for landscaping, irrigation, and industrial processes that can consume high volumes of water or place strains on drinking water systems. The MWMC historically produces Class D recycled water, which is used to irrigate its poplar tree farm as part of its natural treatment system for wastewater. In 2023, the MWMC utilized more than 46 million gallons of Class D recycled water. Class A capabilities will allow the community to expand that use to virtually any other application not requiring potable water.
The mission of the Metropolitan Wastewater Management Commission is to protect the community’s health and the environment by providing high-quality wastewater services to the Eugene Springfield metropolitan area in partnership with Eugene, Springfield, and Lane County. Local representatives from each regional partner–Lane County, and cities of Springfield and Eugene– serve on the Commission.
The MWMC has progressively explored opportunities to expand recycled water usage over the past 15 years. With the Bureau of Reclamation grant, the program is becoming a reality. Learn more information at https://mwmcpartners.org/capital-improvements/recycled-water/.
Now MWMC is entering an exciting new era of recycled water use by enhancing our capabilities to provide high-quality Class A recycled water to the community. Initial uses of Class A recycled water will demonstrate how this resource is useful to the construction industry and to maintaining our public green spaces. Demonstration projects will include sand and gravel operations, street tree watering, and irrigation of landscaping surrounding the wastewater treatment plant.
Todd Miller serves as an Environmental Services Supervisor over the Planning and Policy Support group for the Metropolitan Wastewater Management Commission (MWMC) and the City of Springfield’s Environmental Services Division of the Development & Public Works Department. In this role, he oversees planning-level efforts associated with the MWMC’s Capital Improvement Program, as well as several of the MWMC’s sustainability initiatives, which support the MWMC’s mission to protect the community’s health and the environment and vision to be recognized as a leader in protecting water quality through sustainable and fiscally responsible programs and practices.
Before beginning work for the City of Springfield and MWMC in 2007, Todd served as the Executive Director for the Siuslaw Watershed Council. He also was a geologist and hydrogeologist for consulting firms focused on groundwater, wetland, and soil contamination investigations and cleanup. Todd holds a BS in Biology-Geology from the University of Rochester and an MS in Environmental Studies from the University of Oregon.