Many regions of the world are grappling with a range of interconnected water-related challenges that demand urgent attention. Water scarcity is intensifying in many regions due to overuse, population growth, and prolonged droughts, while paradoxically, extreme rainfall events and atmospheric rivers are becoming more frequent, causing flash floods and overwhelming sewage systems. Climate change amplifies this unpredictability, disrupting historical patterns of water availability and exacerbating both droughts and flooding. Meanwhile, aging municipal water infrastructure—much of it built decades ago—faces increasing strain from intense rainfall, deferred maintenance, and rapid urbanization. Collectively, these forces point to the need for innovative, sustainable solutions to safeguard water resources and adapt to a changing climate.

Decentralized wastewater treatment is emerging as a key part of building resilience. Epic Cleantec is one company rethinking water management by capturing and reusing resources such as gray water, black water, and stormwater at the building level. By managing these alternative water sources, it becomes possible to mitigate the impacts of both drought and intense rainfall. Capturing, treating, and using extreme rainfall at the point of use helps reduce pressure on utilities that can easily be overwhelmed by heavy storms, while treating wastewater for fit-for-purpose uses eases demand in water-scarce areas, creating a buffer for utilities that must conserve.

OneWater system Eco-Insights dashboard

“Our infrastructure is aging,” stated Eric Hough, Epic’s Chief Commercial Officer. “One of the challenges we address for [building] owners is that the utility is often over capacity—they simply can’t build or discharge any additional wastewater, or they’re in an ecologically sensitive zone. We see our solution as synergistic with the centralized utility. By helping to reduce the load [going to the utility], utilities can delay their capital expenditures and still accommodate increasing density and variability in the water cycle.”

Eric Hough, Epic’s Chief Commercial Officer

Enabling reuse at the building level

Epic primarily works with large-scale commercial, multifamily, and institutional developments, which can leverage economies of scale for onsite reuse. “Awareness [of onsite reuse] is pretty high in the markets that we currently serve,” Eric commented. “It’s almost a de facto question for larger developments.”

As Epic helps cultivate the market, it places emphasis on what potential customers actually need and what makes financial sense. Eric noted, “We try to be good stewards of the market, being thoughtful about when to recommend onsite reuse. If they are sitting on top of a purple pipe (an underground pipeline that delivers reclaimed or recycled water) and come to us for recycling, I’ll suggest that they tap into the municipal network. We are not trying to upsell somebody into doing this. We’re not serving, for example, single-family homes for a reason. We don’t think that’s the right financial solution for them.”

Technology and design are central to Epic’s strategy. Real-time monitoring and control make it possible to detect and correct issues within milliseconds if the treated effluent, or any component of the process, is out of specification — ensuring safety and reliability. Meanwhile, machine learning helps optimize long-term system performance and reduce the cost of ownership and operation, which typically accounts for the largest expense in onsite treatment. Compact design is also a priority, especially in urban environments where real estate costs are high. “We don’t measure in square feet; we measure in square inches.”

Shift in public perception

In water circles, many still claim that public perception is the biggest barrier to water recycling. Only 1–3% of water is recycled in the United States, a small figure compared to other parts of the world: Israel recycles 90%, Singapore recycles 40%, and Spain recycles 35%. In most countries, the “yuck” factor associated with wastewater persists, but Eric sees this starting to change. “Ten years ago, developers interested in onsite reuse saw financial and sustainability benefits but worried about leasing apartments. Today, they want onsite reuse because they recognize a market demand for more sustainable buildings; people increasingly want to live by their values, and this is a tangible way to vote with their wallet.”

Epic’s collaboration with Devil’s Canyon Brewing produces beer from recycled water.

Epic has played a role in shifting perceptions through a campaign in collaboration with Devil’s Canyon Brewing to produce beer from recycled water. Although not the first example of its kind, this initiative sparked a global conversation around water issues and the importance of reuse in addressing water challenges.

“We are essentially asking why we continue to address water scarcity with incremental approaches, like reducing gallons per flush, when we can make all that water come from alternative sources. We can reduce a commercial office’s water footprint by up to 95%, helping people think beyond basic conservation toward building-scale water management.”

Updating policy to enable reuse

As more people recognize the need for these solutions, supportive regulations are becoming a critical factor in driving adoption. Although most decentralized, smaller-scale treatment technologies have existed for decades, policy innovations in recent years have made such systems more feasible. Cities like San Francisco and Austin now mandate onsite treatment for developments over 100,000 and 250,000 square feet, respectively, while Los Angeles requires buildings over 25 stories to supply their cooling towers with recycled water.

“I’d say that policy may be where our work is most impactful as a company, because it’s helping to create a roadmap not just for us, but for other projects in this market,” Eric explained. “We very much see this as analogous to where solar was 15–20 years ago.” By connecting cities that aspire to enable onsite recycling with those that have already enacted such measures, Epic hopes to speed up the transition. “We’re not making up the rulebook; we’re just a facilitator that connects like-minded industry professionals who want to see adoption but may not have all the tools.”

In November 2024, Epic closed a $12 million Series B funding round to accelerate its growth. One of its main strategies will focus on scaling nationwide. While demand is already high in California and several other states, Epic sees an opportunity to drive a broader national conversation around onsite reuse. “We’re pleasantly surprised by how many new cities and states are open to exploring these regulations and crafting new policies. Regulators are increasingly looking for ways to foster an equitable market—one that protects public health while embracing proven technologies.”