Reuse sewage to address water needs

In Washington, this year we will again deal with water shortages because of insufficient mountain snowpack while escaping the historic droughts plaguing other parts of the world.

The Columbia River system has not flowed at normal levels in recent years, which is problematic for agriculture, hydropower generation, barging, local water supplies, fish and wildlife.

However, 20 years ago we faced the same severe drought. That water scarcity forced factories to close, farmland to remain fallow and crops to perish.

We must remember that the same water scarcity is likely to happen again in the Pacifi...