Lessons in Recycled Water Program Management

We will contrast two California recycled water projects with different drivers and end users for which a similar program management approach invigorated project implementation efforts. The two case studies will be introduced and then comparisons made regarding how these projects were successfully directed to implementation.One, in Sonoma County, had existing pipeline infrastructure, but lacked sufficient seasonal storage capacity to increase summer recycled water deliveries. Their external driver was meeting stringent wastewater NPDES discharge requirements. The other, in Monterey County, had agricultural water delivery infrastructure, but to meet urban M&I demand, needed to construct completely new infrastructure. Their primary driver was critical water needs for a growing area.In each case, the technical design options were reasonably straightforward and not the cause of the delay. While there were concerns about increasing construction costs, two additional issues loomed large:• Local control vs. regional cost sharing• Externally-imposed timelineIn each example, the project team and agency staff evaluated the political climate, and developed a strategy that allowed for progress to occur.