California Water Boards' Annual Performance Report - Fiscal Year 2021-22 

TECHNICAL CONSIDERATIONS

  • Data Source: The Water Boards recognize the importance of recycled water as a critical water supply for California and an important resource for diversifying local supplies and improving water resilience. The Recycled Water Policy was most recently amended in 2018 and the volumetric and report of wastewater and recycled water was implemented shortly after in 2019 to keep track of recycled water goals listed in the Recycled water policy.
    2019, 2020, and 2021 Volumetric Annual Report of Wastewater and Recycled Water.
    1970, 1977, 1987, 2001, 2009, 2015, and 2019 Municipal Wastewater Recycling Survey Results.
  • Unit of Measure: Acre-Feet/year.
  • References:

GLOSSARY

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
The volume of one acre of surface area to a depth of one foot.  One acre-foot equals about 326,000 gallons, or enough water to cover an acre of land (about the size of an American football field) one foot deep. In California, an acre - foot can typically meet the annual indoor and outdoor water needs of one to two average households.

Indirect Potable Reuse
The planned incorporation of recycled water into a raw water supply such as in potable water storage reservoirs or a groundwater aquifer, resulting in mixing and assimilation, thus providing an environmental buffer.

Agricultural irrigation
Pasture or crop irrigation.

Landscape irrigation
Irrigation of parks, greenbelts, and playgrounds; school yards; athletic fields; cemeteries; residential landscaping, common areas; commercial landscaping; industrial landscaping; and freeway, highway, and street landscaping.

Golf course irrigation
Irrigation of golf courses, including water used to maintain aesthetic impoundments within golf courses.

Commercial application
Commercial facilities, business use (such as laundries and office buildings), car washes, retail nurseries, and appurtenant landscaping that is not separately metered. Industrial application: manufacturing facilities, cooling towers, process water, and appurtenant landscaping that is not separately metered.

Geothermal energy production
Augmentation of geothermal fields.

Other non-potable uses
Including but not limited to dust control, flushing sewers, fire protection, fill stations, snow making, and recreational impoundments.

Groundwater recharge
Surface or subsurface application, except for seawater intrusion barrier use. Seawater intrusion barrier: groundwater recharge via subsurface application intended to reduce seawater intrusion into a coastal aquifer with a seawater interface.

Urban Uses
Includes Golf Course Irrigation, Landscape Irrigation and Commercial and Industrial Uses.

Other Uses
Includes Geothermal Energy Production, Recreational Impoundment, Natural Systems Restoration, Surface Water Augmentation and all Other Uses.