California Town Recycles 350 Million Gallons of Water Via Wastewater Reclamation in Response to Severe Drought

One California town recycles 350 million gallons of water through its wastewater reclamation facility to combat the protracted, severe drought.

Brad Simmons, a retired metal fabricator and Healdsburg, California resident for 57 years, has been able to maintain a large portion of his backyard orchard while cutting the city's water use in half since 2020. Healdsburg enjoys the use of free, non-potable water generated by its wastewater-reclamation facility, which keeps trees, gardens, and vineyards irrigated.

The wastewater recycling plant recycles 350 million gallons, or slightly more than half of the city's annual water consumption, of effluent that is drained and flushed each year. This relieves pressure on local wells and reservoirs while enlisting a large user base to support a conservation ethos.

Wastewater Reclamation in California

Presently, California treats and recycles about 728,000 acre-feet, or about 18%, of the wastewater it generates each year, according to WateReuse. Though the state has higher aspirations for improving water security, new targets call for a nearly threefold increase to 2 million acre-feet annually by 2030, as per data from Water Education Foundation.

Several sizable projects are in the works, supported by programs like the California Water Board's Clean Water State Revolving Fund and federal assistance, including a $750 million grant program. For instance, Orange County is increasing the capacity of its potable water-purification plant, which is already the biggest in the world, to recycle 130 million gallons of effluent every day. To guarantee a sustainable drinking water source for 19 million customers in the Los Angeles region, the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California is considering building a new $3.4 billion recycling facility.

Even so, a more modest approach can be equally effective for smaller communities or people who have limited resources, according to Anne Thebo, senior researcher at the Pacific Institute, a nonprofit think tank for water conservation in Oakland, California.

According to her, agricultural communities are in a better position because many types of irrigation don't need recycled water that is safe for consumption. But because the water used to irrigate trees or lawns can sometimes be of lower quality than water used to irrigate pasture grass such as alfalfa or crops that are suitable for eating raw, like strawberries and lettuce, all communities have some latitude in their ability to use treated effluent. Diversifying a region's water portfolio and reducing overall demand can be accomplished by creating a water-recycling plan that meets the needs of the community.

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Pride of California Town Healdsburg

To meet the regulations for environmental discharge into the Russian River, Healdsburg upgraded its wastewater plant in 2008. The $29.3 million upgrade expanded the process to include pathogen-filtering membranes as well as UV light in addition to filtration and microbial scrubbing. Regional water authorities restrict discharge to the months of October through mid-May because rain generally increases river volumes and lowers the likelihood of adverse effects.

Patrick Fuss, a water and wastewater engineer in Healdsburg, set the stage by organizing a door-to-door recruitment drive for vintners and involving potential participants in the pipeline extension planning process. All construction projects were required by the city to use recycled water, and as local and state water restrictions became stricter last year, Healdsburg began providing free weekly deliveries to residents of up to 500 gallons per subscriber.

In California, projects for water recycling are primarily driven by the need to manage the quality of wastewater discharge. Community involvement and a residential delivery program are plentiful in Healdsburg, but by extending the list of permitted uses to include commercial orchards, pastures, and non-dairy livestock, the city is adding an extra layer of protection.

The city was able to increase the pipe network to reach the town for municipal irrigation thanks to a $7 million state grant, and Dennis De La Montanya has been watering grapes using the purple pipes for years. If solutions are tangible and people see that it has an impact on their daily lives, it becomes a source of pride for the community. These tangible results demonstrate the true value of recycled water, Next City reports.