Water is a limited resource, yet all human life depends on it for survival. We must continue to build on our ability to use water efficiently and wisely. One way to make the water we have go further is to "reclaim" or "reuse" water that has already been used. The used water must be captured and then treated so it pure enough to use again. Reclaiming water can also mean purifying water that is too polluted or too salty to use. Water reclamation specialists are scientists, engineers and technicians who develop ways to reclaim water. A water reclamation specialist might:

• design a pond to capture the extra run-off from a business such as a plant nursery or golf course;
• devise methods to treat that water so it can be used for irrigation;
• design systems for capturing household waste water from laundry and bathing to reuse for gardening or toilet flushing;
• find other ways to mimic the way nature reclaims, purifies, and reuses water through the water cycle.