Phoenix’s effort to send ultra-purified recycled water directly to taps could be among the largest in the world.

And that could profoundly impact our water future — even if this new supply may become only a fraction of the water we drink.

The city wants to build a regional Advanced Water Purification facility at its 91st Avenue Wastewater Treatment Plant.

And interest is strong for the super-clean water it could provide, perhaps as early as 2034.

Nine others — El Mirage, Gilbert, Glendale, Mesa, Peoria, Scottsdale, Surprise and Tempe, plus EPCOR, a private water provider — have said they might be willing to pony up wastewater to help operate the plant.

Phoenix is only just starting to work out the details on this.

No one’s on the hook yet to participate.

According to a preliminary feasibility study published in March, most of the plant’s water would come from and go back to Phoenix, with others contributing and receiving much smaller amounts.

Even still, those combined supplies should be enough to churn out 50 million gallons of ultra-purified water each day initially and 80 million gallons a day in a later phase.

That puts it on par with Advanced Water Purification........

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