Swimming in Jacob’s Well is closed due to low water flow. Even with all the recent rains, Central Texas is still in a drought from a groundwater standpoint. Discussions abound about the long term security and quality of water in the Texas Hill Country as well as in much of the southern United States.
Keisuke Ikehata, an assistant professor at Texas State University’s Ingram School of Engineering, will speak to the Rotary Club of San Marcos at its weekly Wednesday meeting about one option that could be a part of the future solution to water scarcity options.
Ikehata, who recently spoke at the Greater San Marcos Partnership’s Innovation Summit, will give a speech “Promoting Public Acceptance of Direct Potable Reuse: Safeguarding Water Quality & Aesthetics.”
“Water scarcity poses a growing challenge in the Southwestern and Southern regions of the United States, including Texas,” a description of the speech said. “Long-term water supply availability has become a critical concern for water utilities, particularly as conventional water resources may not suffice to support future population and economic growth. Direct potable reuse of treated wastewater stands out as a key solution, despite encountering various challenges such as ensuring safety and garnering public acceptance of purified water.”
Ikehata will discuss a pilot-scale advanced water treatment purification system that was designed, constructed and tested at Texas State in 2022 and deployed at the city of San Marcos Wastewater Treatment Plant in 2023. It is capable of processing 1.5 gallons per minute.
“Our efforts have focused on testing several online instruments for detecting pathogens and disinfection byproducts using the AWP system, alongside investigating the occurrence of taste, odor and appearance-related parameters in reclaimed water and their mitigation,” the description continued. “Through our project, we aim to deliver safe and aesthetically- pleasing purified water for DPR in Central Texas and beyond.”
Ikehata joined Texas State as one of four founding members of the new Civil Engineering Program in July 2019. Dr. Ikehata received his PhD in Civil and Environmental Engineering from the University of Alberta in 2003. Before joining Texas State, Dr. Ikehata worked at a water resources engineering firm in Southern California for eight years. His research has been funded by the National Science Foundation, Bureau of Reclamation, industry sponsors and utility companies.
Ikehata will speak to the Rotary Club of San Marcos on Wednesday, July 31. The meeting is held at Texas Roadhouse at noon. Guests are welcome to attend.
