Bay Area suburbanites with parched lawns have begun driving to their local sewage plants to pick up free recycled water. What began as sewage is treated, filtered, and disinfected in a process known as tertiary recycling—and is thus safe for use for landscape irrigation, though it's not approved for drinking. Pleasanton has a recycled water station, which residents are free to haul away in tanks, drums, barrels, or jugs. Last year the plant dispensed 2.3 million gallons of recycled water to homeowners, and in the first three months of 2015 it has given away upwards of 580,000 gallons. [Contra Costa Times]
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