Wichita City Council approves water reuse purification pilot for possible drinking water
Wichita City Council approved a next step in its long-range water reuse planning on July 7, 2026, approving a Contract Amendment and Funding for Water Reuse Alternatives Study in a 7-0 vote.
The decision moves the city into a new phase that includes a small-scale “potable reuse” pilot—designed to test whether advanced purification of treated wastewater could work as a potential future drinking-water source.
What Council approved on July 7
In its July 7 meeting recap, the City lists “Contract Amendment and Funding for Water Reuse Alternatives Study” as an item approved 7/0.
Plain-English: what “potable reuse” means in Wichita’s plan
Wichita’s Water Reuse Master Plan distinguishes non-potable reuse from potable reuse, describing potable reuse as using advanced treatment to create a new, safe and reliable drinking-water supply after purification and routine testing for drinking-water standards.
The plan also lays out the difference between direct vs. indirect potable reuse—terms that describe how purified water would be used in relation to the drinking-water plant and environmental systems.
The pilot’s purpose: test and monitor advanced purification
Wichita’s Water Reuse Fact Sheet says the first step of the pilot includes constructing a small-scale pilot facility and then testing and monitoring the purified water to ensure federal and state drinking-water standards are met.
Critically for residents: the fact sheet states the purified water produced for the pilot facility will not be introduced into the public drinking-water supply while it is being tested and monitored against standards.
Money basics: consultant contract, pilot costs, and CIP funding
Local reporting tied to the July 7 action reported the following planning figures:
- $1,188,095 original contract amount
- $742,253 contract amendment
- $1,930,348 total contract
- $7 million estimated cost to construct and operate the small-scale pilot plant
- $8,930,348 total estimated project cost
- $8 million proposed to be initiated in 2026–2035 capital improvement program funds
- $9.2 million revised project budget (with additional funds beyond the consultant’s scope for city project management and public engagement)
In other words: this is still a planning and funding-structure step for a pilot and next design work, not an immediate change to what Wichita households receive.
What happens next
Reporting around the vote points to follow-on work that would be needed before any broader move toward potable reuse implementation—such as:
- Coordination with the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) on pilot plan approval
- Applying for potential Bureau of Reclamation Title XVI grant support
- Continuing downstream water-rights confirmation work with Kansas agencies
- Ongoing public engagement and stakeholder structures tied to the pilot site
Bottom line for residents
Now: Wichita is commissioning a pilot focused on testing and monitoring advanced purification performance.
Not now: the City fact sheet says the pilot-produced purified water is not introduced into the public drinking-water supply during testing while standards are verified.
If the pilot supports the next stage of planning, Wichita’s longer-term work would evaluate how direct or indirect potable reuse options could be pursued under applicable regulatory requirements.
Sources
- City of Wichita News Flash: July 7 City Council Meeting Recap (includes “Contract Amendment and Funding for Water Reuse Alternatives Study” approved 7/0)
- KWCH (local TV): Wichita City Council approves next phase of Water Reuse Master Plan
- CDC: Recycled Water for Drinking — An Overview
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