Water board OKs recycled water for drinking

On Tuesday, the State Water Board (SWB) issued new regulations that will allow recycled water to be used to supplement drinking water supplies.

The new regulations set requirements for the quality of treated recycled water that can be added to a surface water reservoir that is being used as source of drinking water.

The regulations also specify the percentage of recycled water that can be added and how long it must reside there before being treated again at a surface water treatment facility and provided as drinking water.“Cities and counties around the state are looking to stretch their local water supplies in the face of an increasingly uncertain water future,” said SWB Chair Felicia Marcus. “Water efficiency and reuse are the smartest ways to help our water resources go further. Today’s action is another important step in expanding the sensible use of recycled water in California.”

According to the SWB, the regulation went through a public process of review and comment over two years, including an independent scientific review and guidance by an expert panel. The panel determined the surface water regulations adequately protect public health.

The regulations also require local water systems to engage the public in developing “surface water augmentation” projects.

Previously the SWB set requirements for using treated recycled water to recharge groundwater and adopted statewide rules for outdoor uses of recycled water and for irrigating crops.The State Water Board is also working on regulations for “direct potable reuse,” in which treated recycled water is added directly into a drinking water system or into a raw water supply immediately upstream of a drinking water treatment plant.