Federal Grant for Recycled Water in East County
East Contra Costa County’s future recycled water and Delta drought relief efforts have received a boost thanks to a $150,000 grant for Delta Diablo Sanitation District’s Recycled Water Master Plan from the U.S. Department of Interior’s Bureau of Reclamation.
Delta Diablo Sanitation District (the District) currently operates a recycled water facility generating nearly six million gallons of recycled water each day. The Master Plan will help staff identify potential capital improvement projects which can provide a cost-effective, reliable recycled water supply to users in the District’s service area of Antioch, Bay Point and Pittsburg. It will also help reduce demand on freshwater Delta supplies.
Since 2002 the District’s Recycled Water Facility has produced over 21 Billion gallons of recycled water. The District’s Master Plan project will provide guidance to optimize and expand recycled water use for existing and new customers. It will also allow a comprehensive analysis of the District’s recycled water system to ascertain project alternatives such as new and modified pipelines, pump stations, and storage.
The $150,000 grant is the maximum awarded by this WaterSMART Title XVI Water Reclamation and Reuse funding opportunity. Feasibility studies under the Title XVI Program balance technical, institutional and economical potential for stretching water supplies using both time-tested methodologies and piloting new concepts to reclaim and reuse wastewater. The studies also focus on water and energy efficiencies with the goal of well-planned water projects that are sustainable and use less energy.
The District’s Master Plan is considered another “success story” for the Bay Area Recycled Water Coalition. The Coalition, a partnership of fourteen San Francisco Bay Area regional water recycling agencies, works collaboratively to proactively pursue highly leveraged, locally-managed projects that will help ensure the security of water supplies in the Bay-Delta for years to come.
To date, projects undertaken by Coalition members have resulted in over 22,000 acre feet of recycled water being supplied to Bay Area communities and businesses. This is equal to the annual water use by 66,000 single family homes. All projects have received support from Bay Area elected delegates.
“California’s limited water resources are best extended through a smart water recycling and conservation strategy like that implemented by the Delta Diablo Sanitation District,” said Congressman John Garamendi (D-Walnut Creek, CA), a Member of the House Natural Resources Committee. “I congratulate Delta Diablo on earning this important grant which will help our region responsibly manage our precious water supply.”
“I congratulate Delta Diablo Sanitation District on this grant, which represents a critical next step in an ongoing campaign to move regional water recycling projects forward and add more alternative water supplies to our water infrastructure. Delta Diablo is continuing to show why it is considered a leader in the effort to stretch our state’s water supplies.” said Rep. George Miller (D-Martinez, CA), a leader in California water issues and an advocate for water recycling projects in Congress.
Recycled water has been used for over 50 years in California. Recycling water is a safe way to preserve our natural water resource from the Delta by allowing reuse of tertiary-treated wastewater. The recycled water produced by the District meets the most stringent standards established by Title 22 California Code of Regulations. Extensive monitoring and testing is performed to ensure that this water supply meets the highest quality standards.
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