Facing Obstacles to Water Reuse: A California Perspective

In the face of climate change, aging infrastructure, and emerging water quality challenges, California water agencies are motivated to improve resilience through thoughtful implementation of water reuse and other alternative water supplies. Meanwhile, there is growing pressure to maximize beneficial reuse in lieu of discharging wastewater effluent. California Urban Water Agencies (CUWA), a nonprofit corporation of 11 major urban water agencies that deliver drinking water to two-thirds of California’s population, has conceptual plans in place to triple their water reuse by 2035. Based on a literature review and several interviews with utilities and state agencies, CUWA developed an issue brief and this presentation to increase awareness of the obstacles California water and wastewater agencies face in maximizing reuse and presents strategies to enable greater progress.