The city will launch a pilot program to assess five methods of treating wastewater to identify the most effective solution for a scaled-up program.

As part of Boise’s Water Renewal Utility Plan, the city will conduct a pilot program to evaluate five potential methods for treating and recycling wastewater, reports Erin Banks Rusby for the Idaho Press.
“The water being processed through the pilot program will not contain any human excrement, urine, viruses, or other waste disposed of through household toilets, sinks, or showers, [Haley Falconer, senior manager of the city’s environmental division] said.” According to Falconer, “The city is planning to build a water renewal facility in that part of the city that will treat industrial wastewater and ‘grow with other industrial or commercial sources in that part of town.’”
The article outlines the five technologies that will be tested during the pilot program, including an air scrubber, reverse osmosis, and ultraviolet advanced oxidation. “Testing all of these complex systems gives city personnel a chance to learn how each work, what is most effective, and to develop design criteria for how the technology would be used at a large scale in the future facility, Falconer said.”
According to Natalie Monro, spokesperson for the city’s public works department, “Currently, the city is hoping to clean the water to a drinkable level, but it is not considering an option to reuse the water as a source of drinking water.”
FULL STORY: Boise launching recycled water pilot program

Rethinking Redlining
For decades we have blamed 100-year-old maps for the patterns of spatial racial inequity that persist in American cities today. An esteemed researcher says: we’ve got it all wrong.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Walmart Announces Nationwide EV Charging Network
The company plans to install electric car chargers at most of its stores by 2030.

New State Study Suggests Homelessness Far Undercounted in New Mexico
An analysis of hospital visit records provided a more accurate count than the annual point-in-time count used by most agencies.

Michigan Bills Would Stiffen Penalties for Deadly Crashes
Proposed state legislation would close a ‘legal gap’ that lets drivers who kill get away with few repercussions.

Report: Bus Ridership Back to 86 Percent of Pre-Covid Levels
Transit ridership around the country was up by 85 percent in all modes in 2024.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
City of Moorpark
City of Tustin
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions