In January 2015, Water. Desalination + reuse (Faversham House) reported, citing GE Power & Water, that the Covanta Delaware Valley energy-from-waste plant in Chester, Pennsylvania, no longer drew drinking water for cooling. The 90 MW facility switched to treated effluent from a neighbouring municipal sewage works. In 2014, GE had supplied and commissioned two RePAK-450 trains pairing ultrafiltration with reverse osmosis, each delivering 2,250 litres per minute. This ended a potable water draw of about 6,500 m³/day (6.5 Ml/d). The manufacturer cited a footprint cut of up to 65 percent.
The report showed North American industry turning municipal effluent into cooling water with membrane systems, which relieved pressure on drinking water for nearby residents.