DEQ’s Water Reuse Program aims to create a more resilient water future for the state by providing information and education on how reusing water helps tackle the challenges of drought, water scarcity and groundwater depletion. By reusing water from domestic, industrial, and small scale (home and businesses), both groundwater and freshwater resources are conserved.
GreenState podcast co-hosts Dylan Darling and Harry Esteve recently talked with Pat Heins and Grace Cannon, a pair of water reuse experts at DEQ. They learned why every drop counts.
“Only 2.5 percent of water on Earth is freshwater and of that 2.5 percent only 1.2 is surface water – that’s the water in rivers, lakes and streams,” Cannon said. “…So, it is imperative that we utilize the fresh water that we have in the best ways possible.”
Ep 34. Every Drop Counts – Water Reuse
Posted: July 29, 2026
Guests: Pat Heins, Grace Cannon from DEQ; Delen Kitchen from The Oregon Garden
Co-hosts: Dylan Darling, Harry Esteve
The episode also included a conversation Delen Kitchen, executive director at The Oregon Garden.
“Our water reuse program is really central to the Garden’s existence,” she said.
The lush shrubs, grasses and flowers at the Oregon Garden seem to defy their drier surroundings: an oasis of green and colors amid arid hillsides. How? The Garden draws its water from nearby Silverton’s wastewater treatment plant. This partnership allows for an inexpensive and sustainable source of water to keep the Garden flourishing despite a time of record low snowpack and little rainfall.
Listen to the podcast on: SoundCloud, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.
SHOW NOTES
- Introduction
- Interview with DEQ water reuse experts [2:30]
- Water Reuse Program web page [23:30]
- Conversation with Delen Kitchen of The Oregon Garden [25:00]
- Wrap-up [33:00]
- Tips for saving water [34:50]
###