Reclaimed Water

Statistics

Reuse grant funding since 1987: $272 million
Miles of reuse mains: 928
Capacity of funded projects: 219 mgd
Daily use: 197 mgd
Alternative water supply grant funding since 1996: $382 million

Reclaimed water is treated wastewater and can be used for irrigation and other nonpotable uses to extend our water supplies.

Up to 50 percent of a community's drinking water is used for irrigation. Much of this irrigation water could be replaced with reclaimed water.

Reclaimed water is a clear and odorless high-quality water source for industrial and irrigation needs.

It can be used for:

Irrigation
Street-sweeping operations
Power generation
Decorative fountains
Fire protection (purple fire hydrants)
Dust control
Aquifer recharge
Cooling or makeup water for a variety of industrial processes
Natural system restoration

It can’t be used for:

Body-contact recreation (including swimming pools)
Cooking or drinking
Irrigating vegetable and herb gardens (unless a drip or bubbler system is used)

The wastewater-to-reclaimed water process

Screens and other processes remove sand and debris
Sedimentation removes large solids
Microorganisms break down organic materials
Clarifiers remove microorganisms and remaining solids
Filtering makes water clear
Disinfection, usually with chlorine, kills the remaining microorganisms

Reuse facilities are constantly monitored to ensure that only high-quality reclaimed water is distributed. This water is clear and essentially pathogen-free.

Benefits

Costs less than drinking water
Reduces fertilizer use, as some nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus remain
Reduces stress on drinking water supplies
Reduces disposal into waterways, which can help reduce nutrient loads in bays and rivers

Our role

Our Cooperative Funding Initiative program has contributed to over 282 reuse projects to help communities develop reclaimed water systems. Our Regional Water Supply Plan describes a goal of using 75 percent of the available reclaimed water to offset existing or new potable quality water sources; a use of 310 million gallons per day of reclaimed water to offset 232 mgd demand of potable quality water by 2025.

The District has been recognized as a leader in the promotion and development of reclaimed water.

Reuse availability maps

Reclaimed water is supplied by 120 systems within the District.
(click below for county maps )