2021 Essay Contest Winner

Entry by Travis Cooper

From Wastewater to Sweet water

I live in the Sonoran Desert, and conserving water is a part of everyday life here. Sewage water in Tucson is recycled to create a riparian habitat called the Sweetwater Wetlands. First, wastewater passes through a reclamation facility. Then, large solids drop out of the water in settling pools. From there, the water travels to the main ponds, where aquatic plants filter out dangerous particles. Once the water is through the ponds, it sits in large basins where it can recharge Tucson’s aquifer.

The Sweetwater Wetlands support a huge amount of biodiversity. Peregrine falcons, cinnamon teals, American coots, and many other bird species can be spotted there. The main ponds are surrounded by cottonwood and willow trees, which are rare in Arizona because they only grow near large water sources. And turtles, frogs, dragonflies, diving beetles, and water scorpions make their homes in the main ponds. A trail encircles the main ponds and connects large observation decks. Most afternoons the park is packed with families, despite the ever-so-slight smell of sewage.

I toured the Sweetwater Wetlands on a school trip. The guide repeated a bathroom mantra that is well known to Tucson children: “If it’s yellow, let it mellow. If it’s brown, flush it down.” This may sound gross. But each year, 1.5 trillion gallons of clean drinking water is flushed down toilets in the United States. In the future, waterless options, such as solar toilets, composting toilets, and bio-toilets, may be widespread. In the meantime, the Sweetwater Wetlands offers a model for wastewater recycling.