Officials have been unable to convince residents that a "toilet to tumbler" recycled water scheme would provide drinking water that is safe and reliable.
"Residents of a drought-stricken Australian town have rejected a plan to drink water recycled from sewage, striking a blow to conservationists who want the scheme to be rolled out across the country.
Toowoomba in the state of Queensland has faced water restrictions for a decade and is one of hundreds of small towns suffering from a shortage of rainfall.
Local Mayor Dianne Thorley had urged the 100,000 strong community to back a plan to pump purified effluent back into dams for drinking, and warned the town's water supply could dry up within two years without drought-breaking rains.
But in a referendum on Saturday, Toowoomba convincingly rejected the proposal, by approximately 62 per cent to 38."
FULL STORY: Thirsty Australian Town Rejects Plan to Drink Recycled Sewage

What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities
How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.

‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Deleted in Federal Purge
Basic resources and information on building bike lanes and sidewalks, formerly housed on the government’s Complete Streets website, are now gone.

The VW Bus is Back — Now as an Electric Minivan
Volkswagen’s ID. Buzz reimagines its iconic Bus as a fully electric minivan, blending retro design with modern technology, a 231-mile range, and practical versatility to offer a stylish yet functional EV for the future.

Study: London ULEZ Rapidly Cleaning up Air Pollution
Expanding the city’s ultra low-emission zone has resulted in dramatic drops in particle emissions in inner and outer London.

Spring Spectacle: Thousands of Tulips Bloom at One of LA’s Top Gardens
Descanso Gardens, one of Los Angeles County’s most beloved botanical destinations, is welcoming spring with 35,000 tulips in bloom, creating a breathtaking seasonal display expected to peak in late March.

Ratepayers Could Be on the Hook for Data Centers’ Energy Use
Without regulatory changes, data centers’ high demand for energy would be subsidized by taxpayers, according to a new study.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
City of Albany
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research