Hats off to WateReuse Colorado for earning national recognition for its work over the past decade advancing the development of reusing water in Colorado.

The national WateReuse Association presented WateReuse Colorado — a state section of the national organization — with its Advocacy Achievement Award on Sept. 10, at the Annual WateReuse Symposium in Austin, Texas.

The award recognized WateReuse Colorado for making significant achievements in advancing regulatory development as well as facilitating adoption, implementation and acceptance of reusing water.

“It’s an honor to receive this award,” said Allegra da Silva, president of WateReuse Colorado. “We’re passionate about promoting and developing alternative water solutions for the future and we’ll continue that mission.”

National leaders also praised WateReuse Colorado for leading the PureWater Colorado Demonstration Project last spring in partnership with Denver Water. The project demonstrated how water from a water reclamation facility can be purified and made safe to drink.

“The PureWater project was a creative and innovative way to raise attention about water reuse to people across Colorado,” said Abigail Antolovich, water efficiency and reuse leader at Denver Water. “WateReuse Colorado helped us pull together a powerful partnership of utilities, state agencies, industry experts and treatment technology providers to look at potable reuse from every angle.”

Denver Water partnered with a local brewery to use some of the purified water to brew a beer to celebrate the organization’s 100th anniversary.

Since its inception in 2008, WateReuse Colorado has helped develop new uses for reclaimed water while increasing public understanding and acceptance of water reuse, and has become a trusted source of information across the state.

“WateReuse Colorado has been a true partner with the state,” said Ron Falco, drinking water program manager at Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. “They’ve helped us bring in the right experts and guide the process of developing a regulatory framework for water reuse in Colorado.”