Bay-Delta Program - San Francisco Bay/Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Estuary

Water Use Efficiency

The Bay Delta Strategic Workplan established this objective to increase sustainable water supplies available statewide to meet existing and future beneficial uses by: 1) increasing recycled water use by 980,000 acre-feet per year by 2020 in excess of 2002 levels, 2) achieving a 20 percent reduction in per capita water use statewide by 2020 and 3) encouraging more efficient agricultural water use.

1. Recycled Water Policy
   Long-term Water Recycling Activities include adoption and implementation of a State policy for water quality control to require the development of Water Recycling Plans, through the NPDES/WDR renewal cycle, for wastewater treatment plants located in areas using imported water supplies and require these NPDES/WDR applicants to recycle a percentage of wastewater within a particular timeframe as may be required by the State Water Board in its water recycling policy. The policy would also require all permittees in areas importing water to justify in each permit cycle why effluent is not being reclaimed for beneficial use.
   
   For more information on water recycling, please contact Gordon Innes (email) or at (916) 341-5517


2. 20 X 2020 Agency Team on Water Conservation


3. Urban Conservation Regulatory Program
   The actions to address water use efficiency for urban and agricultural water users. include an assessment of whether to develop an urban water conservation regulatory program and, if so, what the regulatory program should be.
   • Public Workshop - October 1, 2008
     A public workshop to consider information regarding the development of an urban water conservation regulatory program will be held in Sacramento on October 1, 2008. The State Water Board will accept written comments on the proposal until noon, September 23, 2008. Refer to the Public Notice and Discussion Paper for more details.
     • Public Workshop Notice - Comment Deadline Extended to 10/20/08 by 12 noon
     • Discussion Paper
     • Agenda – R.S.V.P. by September 26, 2008 - See agenda for R.S.V.P. form
     • October 1, 2008 Public Workshop Presentations
       • Opening Remarks by Tom Howard, State Water Resources Control Board
       • Presentation by Barbara Evoy, State Water Resource Control Board
       • Presentation by Mark Cowin, Department of Water Resources
       • Presentation by Chris Brown, California Urban Water Conservation Council
       • Presentation by Jonas Minton, Planning and Conservation League
     • Workshop Comments
     • Written Comments
   • For more information on water conservation, please contact Rich Mills (email) or at (916) 341-5739.