Bill would relax rules that govern recycled water use

Twenty twenty-five may end up becoming the year for water legislation.

Several bills have been introduced this year at both the state and the federal level to drought-proof California. The most recent, a bill to relax rules that govern recycled water use.

California State Senator Jerry McNerney, (D-Pleasanton) introduced SB 31 which would allow businesses, homes, and agencies to expand their use of recycled water for irrigation and other uses, rather than relying on drinking water.

“Instead of water wars pitting one region of the state against the other, North versus South, California must develop commonsense solutions that enable us to use the water we have more efficiently,” said Sen. McNerney, who is also a member of the Delta Protection Commission. “SB 31 is a pragmatic approach that will enhance our supplies of fresh water by expanding the use of recycled water for irrigation and commercial uses. It will also help protect the state during devastating droughts caused by climate change.”

SB 31 would ease some regulations on the use of recycled water including:

• Enabling parks to expand their use of recycled water.
• Ensuring that using recycled water use in decorative bodies of water, such as a lake at a golf course, isn’t deterred by overly burdensome regulations.
• Requiring homeowners’ associations to use recycled water, where available, to irrigate outdoor common areas.
• Making sure that homeowners’ associations won’t have to install expensive and cumbersome new plumbing systems to use recycled water.
• Allowing food handling and processing facilities to use recycled water for toilet or urinal flushing or outdoor irrigation as long as the recycled water doesn’t enter a room where food handling or processing occurs.

“Increased use of recycled water is imperative to ensuring local communities have access to safe and reliable drinking water,” said Brenley McKenna, managing director, WateReuse California, which is sponsoring SB 31. “WateReuse California thanks Senator McNerney for introducing SB 31, which will update the Code of Regulations and expand the allowable uses of recycled water throughout the state. Aligning regulations with advancements in technology and increased investment in recycled water are critical to implementing the Governor’s Water Supply Strategy.”