Maximizing Recycled Water Use in Southern California

The Sanitation Districts have adopted the goal of maximizing reuse of highly treated recycled water and have worked with local water agencies for four decades in an effort to develop recycled water as a local water supply. These efforts have allowed us to build a program that provides an average of 87 MGD of recycled water to over 600 reuse sites. Indirect potable reuse through groundwater recharge has always been the largest component of recycled water use. However, as Southern California's water supply becomes more strained due to drought and environmental restrictions on importation, there has been an unprecedented demand for recycled water. In response, the Sanitation Districts have undertaken initiatives to utilize available supplies more efficiently and make additional supply available. The Sanitation Districts have also entered into agreements with local water agencies to evaluate development of large-scale indirect potable reuse projects involving advanced treatment.