Water reuse is a growing industry and innovative approaches to using recycled water are moving the industry forward. One example of an innovative approach is the use of recycled water for zoo operations. The Denver Zoo's mission to secure a better world for animals through human understanding embraces not only worldwide wildlife habitat preservation, but also local conservation. One practical way that Denver Zoo is achieving its goals is through water-conservation efforts, which includes the use of recycled water. The zoo currently uses approximately two million gallons of recycled water annually, and is unique in that it uses recycled water not only for irrigation, but also for enclosure wash-down and animal swimming pools. The new Asian Tropics exhibit (recently renamed Toyota Elephant Passage), uses recycled water in more sophisticated applications including swimming pools for elephants, rhinos, and tapirs. Understanding that recycled-water quality varies between water providers, Denver Zoo evaluated the constituents of the recycled water provided by Denver Water and determined that it was suitable for high levels of contact and even consumption by certain collection species. Due to the innovative use of recycled water and the complexity of the water system on site, Denver Zoo developed a number of management systems to ensure health of the animals, protection of the visiting public, and compliance with regulations and local codes. User training programs, interpretive graphics, irrigation schedules, physical differentiation of recycled systems from potable infrastructure, and discharges to sewer all presented unique challenges. Denver Zoo's decision to utilize recycled water for interior hosedown, animal swimming pools, and animal drinkers was unique and therefore took many designers and governing regulators out of their normal comfort zone. Denver Zoo developed relationships with these numerous entities to help convey the suitability of recycled water for these applications and resolve any issues. The progressive use of recycled water at Denver Zoo garnered national recognition in 2011 when they were named the inaugural recipient of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums' Green Award and presented with the WateReuse Association's Customer of the Year Award. Upon final build-out of its master plan, Denver Zoo plans to expand its use of recycled water to 90% of its total water consumption. This will represent over 162 million gallons of recycled water per year. This paper discusses the drivers, challenges, opportunities, and successes of using recycled water for operations at Denver Zoo.
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