California Water Boards' Annual Performance Report - Fiscal Year  2019-20 

PLAN & ASSESS: WASTEWATER RECYCLING

GROUP:
WASTEWATER RECYCLING-WATER RECLAMATION

MESSAGE:
Three out of nine regions accounted for 83 percent of California's total recycled water use in 2015.

MEASURE:
TRENDS IN RECYCLED WATER USE BY REGIONAL BOARD

KEY STATISTICS FOR 2019
2015 Recycled Water Use (Acre-Feet): 714,117 
2009 Recycled Water Use (Acre-Feet): 669,157 
1970 Recycled Water Use (Acre-Feet): 175,220 

MEASUREMENTS

Regional
Offices		 1970
Survey		 1977
Survey		 1987
Survey		 2001
Survey		 2009
Survey		 2015
Survey
1 1,090 6,688 13,016 17,346 25,772 25,772
2 7,070 10,237 11,010 29,520 41,019 47,605
3 9,760 6,918 6,141 25,293 23,275 29,450
4 29,200 37,337 60,257 152,316 169,641 194,698
5F 66,840 62,805 82,997 110,237 131,627 91,305
5R 510 1,128 792 1,426 1,286 294
5S 14,350 18,789 32,077 40,553 44,942 46,545
6 9,060 8,838 18,024 24,418 9,810 8,885
7 6,120 3,359 9,076 9,747 14,090 13,437
8 16,870 24,439 27,280 83,649 155,743 209,247
9 14,350 3,403 5,889 30,955 51,952 46,879
TOTAL 175,220 183,941 266,559 525,460 669,157 714,117

Amount of Water Recycled in Acre-Feet/Year

FusionCharts will load here

Click on a bar in the charts below, to show details for that region (third chart below).

FusionCharts will load here

 

WHAT THE MEASURE IS SHOWING

The data show that wastewater recycling efforts are concentrated in regions 4, 5 and 8 which accounted for 83 percent of California's total recycled water use for 2015. Survey results indicate that statewide recycled water use has more than tripled since 1970.

WHY THIS MEASURE IS IMPORTANT

The Strategic Plan Update 2008-2012 for the Water Boards includes a priority to increase sustainable local water supplies available for meeting existing and future beneficial uses by 1,725,000 acre-feet per year, in excess of 2002 levels, by 2015, and ensure adequate water flows for fish and wildlife habitat. The Water Board's 2009 Recycled Water Policy (Policy) supports the Strategic Plan priority to Promote Sustainable Local Water Supplies. Increasing the acceptance and promoting the use of recycled water is a means towards achieving sustainable local water supplies and can result in reduction in greenhouse gases, a significant driver of climate change. The Policy is also intended to encourage beneficial use of, rather than solely disposal of, recycled water. The mission of the Water Recycling Funding Program (WRFP) is to promote the beneficial use of treated municipal wastewater (water recycling) in order to augment fresh water supplies in California by providing technical and financial assistance to agencies and other stakeholders in support of water recycling projects and research.

TECHNICAL CONSIDERATIONS

DATA DEFINITIONS

Recycled Water
Recycled water means water which, as a result of treatment of waste, is suitable for a direct beneficial use or a controlled use that would not otherwise occur and is therefore considered a valuable resource. (Water Code § 13050(n)).

Acre-Foot
It is defined by the volume of one acre of surface area to a depth of one foot. Since the acre is defined as a chain by a furlong (66 ft × 660 ft) the acre-foot is exactly 43,560 cubic feet. One acre-foot is taken to be the planned water usage of a suburban family household, annually.

Water Recycling Targets
The Water Boards Water Recycling Policy identifies the goals and mandates to recycled water by 2010, 2015, 2020 and 2030.