SF Bay Area Regional Water Recycling Program Progress Report

STATE WATER RESOURCES CONTROL BOARD
WORKSHOP SESSION - DIVISION OF CLEAN WATER PROGRAMS
SEPTEMBER 1, 1999

ITEM 2

SUBJECT

PROGRESS REPORT ON THE SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA REGIONAL WATER RECYCLING PROGRAM

DISCUSSION

A partnership of 13 local agencies , a state agency, and a federal agency has created the Bay Area Regional Water Recycling Program (BARWRP) to develop a regional plan for water recycling in the San Francisco Bay Area. A draft Master Plan has just been published. The program has identified projects that could yield 240,000 acre-feet annually by 2025.

BARWRP has attempted to improve the feasibility of large-scale projects by linking the sources of recycled water and the potential market in the most cost-effective manner across institutional boundaries. By identifying the costs and benefits locally as well as regionally and identifying financial and institutional mechanisms to equitably distribute these costs and benefits, implementation should be facilitated.

The cooperation and assistance of many agencies will be necessary to bring these projects to reality. For example, the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) could provide financial assistance for the design and construction of recycling projects through its existing programs. Other actions that have been suggested in the Master Plan for the SWRCB and Regional Water Quality Control Boards (RWQCBs) include supporting:

Funding of studies for environmental use of recycled water
Funding of watershed studies for Bay-Delta ecosystem
Mass-based approach to toxics control in the Bay and Delta
Trading credits related to mass discharges
Brine and cooling tower blowdown discharge in existing outfalls
Studies to reduce salts and other constituents of concern for recycling
Water transfers related to recycling.

A presentation will be made to summarize the findings and proposals in the Master Plan.

RWQCB IMPACT

San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board.

FISCAL IMPACT

There is no specific proposal being made at this time that would have a fiscal impact. At some future time the implementation of elements of the BARWRP Master Plan could involve the use of state funds.

STAFF RECOMMENDATION

None. This is an information item only.