2026 WateReuse Symposium Addresses Water Recycling for AI, Potable Reuse Systems

The 2026 WateReuse Symposium brought together nearly 1,400 water industry professionals from across the nation and around the world. The event addressed critical topics in water reuse, including water recycling infrastructure for artificial intelligence, the growing prevalence of reuse in the Midwestern United States and strategies to secure funding for potable reuse systems.

Water reuse for artificial intelligence
On Tuesday, March 10, experts discussed the key role of water reuse in the artificial intelligence revolution. The panel explored approaches to water security, opportunities for economic development and collaborative partnerships between the industry and utilities to advance innovative solutions.

The panel featured a discussion with Bob Davis, program manager at the City of Quincy, Washington and Kelsey Grey, senior manager of Cloud and Innovation Sustainability at Microsoft, on Quincy and Microsoft’s partnership to create the Quincy Water Reuse Utility. The utility recycles water to cool Microsoft’s data centers in the region, sustaining digital infrastructure while preserving municipal water supply. Courtney Tripp, director of sustainability and strategy for Grundfos, also highlighted the findings of a recent report on Accelerating Industrial Reuse. Tripp emphasized the importance of the Advancing Water Reuse Act (HR 2940), which would provide a 30% investment tax credit for companies which invest in reuse.

Road to reuse in America’s heartland
Communities in the water-abundant Midwestern United States are proactively adopting water reuse programs to address aging infrastructure, groundwater depletion, nutrient pollution and climate impacts. Panelists shared the unique drivers which led them to adopt reuse, regulatory approaches, strategies for building public support and funding mechanisms they leveraged to implement water recycling programs in their communities.

Price of purification: Balancing affordability, resiliency and economic benefits
The symposium’s closing panel focused on strategies to secure the significant funding required for potable reuse projects.  Propelled by population growth, climate change and new regulations, communities across the United States are turning toward potable reuse to secure drinking water supplies. Utility leaders Angel Bustamante (El Paso Water), Anselmo Collins (Los Angeles Department of Water and Power), Tamara Richardson (Polk County Utilities) and Nazario Prieto (City of Phoenix Water Services Division) shared how they secured investments for pure water infrastructure, explaining the economic and social benefits of their projects and the innovative approaches needed to ensure a sustainable future for their communities.

Conversation continues
Water reuse innovators reaffirmed their commitments to continue collaborating on the future of water resilience. Upcoming national gatherings include:

• 2026 Industrial Water Solutions, June 8-10, presented with the Water Environment Federation in Chicago, Illinois
• The 42nd Annual WateReuse Symposium, March 1-4, 2027, Caesars Palace Las Vegas, Nevada.