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Moulton Niguel Water District (MNWD) and their pioneer customers, El Niguel Country Club and Mission Viejo Country Club, began using recycled water in 1968. Over the years both the wter district and the country clubs have expanded and improved their water conservation efforts.
In the past 50 years MNWD’s recycled water system has expanded substantially and now includes approximately 150 miles of recycled water distribution pipelines (purple piping). The district now maintains 19 pressure reducing stations, 13 recycled water pump stations, 11 reservoirs and storage tanks, five pre‐stressed concrete reservoirs and two advanced wastewater treatment facilities while servicing more than 1,300 recycled water customers. Recycled water use accounts for 25 percent of the district’s total water demand and seven million gallons of recycled water is used daily.
As for the two pioneering country clubs, both have invested in modern irrigation systems over the years and each site has planted California native landscaping to reduce their water needs.
“We’re grateful to Moulton Niguel Water District for its leadership then and its ongoing commitment to customer service and regional reliability. We’re proud of our long-standing partnership focused on responsible management of this valuable resource,” said Kimberly Wood, El Niguel Country Club’s general manager.
“Our District could fill 3,900 Olympic-sized swimming pools with recycled water,” explains MNWD President Donald Froelich. “Our recycled water program has been instrumental in creating a sustainable water supply for our customers.”
MNWD was one of Orange County’s first agencies to use recycled water in the 1960s. Without recycled water sources, customers would need to use more expensive drinking water for all outdoor water uses.
“Moulton Niguel Water District’s recycled water program has conserved billions of gallons of water and helped thousands of customers save money,” said Director Larry Lizotte, who has served on the MNWD Board of Directors for nearly half a century. “Over the years, especially during periods of drought, customers have really become appreciative of their opportunity to buy recycled water from us. Recycled water also reduces our dependence on imported water and provides our customers with reliable access to water.”
Future plans for recycled water use in MNWD’s footprint includes a partnership with the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California to help customers in its service area access additional financial incentives for recycled water use through its On-Site Retrofit Program. The Laguna Niguel based MNWD also to expand its recycled water distribution system with the implementation of a recycled water optimization plan. The District offers a recycled water retrofit rebate as an incentive to encourage recycled water use. The district will be recognizing its recycled water customers and partners throughout the year for their role in making the community more self-reliant.
“Our District will continue to reinvest ratepayer dollars right back into maintaining and enhancing our community’s water infrastructure,” said MNWD Board Vice President Brian Probolsky. “Recycled water improves our water reliability for all our customers during both wet and drought years.”
