Camp Pendleton Unveils Wastewater Reuse System

Officials at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton in Southern California recently dedicated an upgraded water treatment system, the Los Angeles Times reported.

The system employs recycled water to decrease the amount of fresh water used on the base and the amount of gray water pumped into the Pacific Ocean.

"We're going to continue to march ahead: This is the first step," said Marine Col. Gary Storey.

As part of the $48.8-million upgrade, treated wastewater will be used on landscaping, horse pastures and the base golf course, the newspaper reported. In the future, recycled water may be used for carwashes and toilet facilities in enlisted quarters.

The base has been under court order to improve its treatment facilities, which date back to the 1940s.

The base uses 6,000 to 7,000 acre-feet of water each year, most of it from wells and the San Luis Rey River.

The new facilities can provide 1,700 acre-feet per year of treated wastewater. CDM, based in Cambridge, Mass., was the primary contractor for the project.