Getting Most Out of Coachella Valley Water District Recycled Water

Coachella Valley Water District is among the most innovative water agencies in the entire state of California. CVWD provides drinking water to more than 100,000 homes and businesses. Use of recycled water is playing an ever-increasing role in CVWD's effective water management. Out of about 120 golf courses, more than a dozen golf courses and other large-volume water consumers use recycled water for at least part of their irrigation. Almost 15,000 acre-feet of recycled water is used yearly, saving a like amount of groundwater for use by more than 37,500 residents. The availability of water will be a major factor affecting the way the valley grows and its quality of life. The increase in the valley's population is increasing the availability of recycled water year-round. Several alternatives for meeting the increasing water demand is studied and the better alternative is found to be a combined use method that incorporates conservation, additional sources of supply, and local resources. This paper discusses these alternatives and the maximum use of recycled water, which will be combined with imported water for delivery to the 50 mid-valley golf courses. The goal of the Water Management Plan is to assure adequate quantities of safe, high-quality water at the lowest cost to Coachella Valley water users.