California Congresswoman Introduces Wastewater Recycling Legislation

Congresswoman Doris Matsui (CA-06) introduced H.R. 2993, The Water Recycling Acceleration Act of 2015, which would greatly accelerate the authorization of wastewater recycling projects in California. Recycling would help alleviated water shortages during drought years and create flexibility in California’s water resources system.

“As California faces its fourth year of drought, a variety of sustainable approaches are needed to solve our state’s water resource challenges,” Matsui said. “This legislation will allow states with drought declarations to pursue wastewater recycling projects faster than the current federal process allows. If their project meets certain criteria, it would be eligible for funding from the Bureau of Reclamation. Waiting for Congress to vote to authorize each project simply does not work when we are facing the worst drought in generations.”

The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation provides federal funding to wastewater recycling projects through Title XVI of the Wastewater and Groundwater Study and Facilities Act. This proposal would provide recycled wastewater for use on environmental habitat and agricultural lands. An example of a project that could qualify is the Sacramento Regional County Sanitation District’s South County Ag program, which could provide up to 50,000 acre ft of recycled water a year and irrigate up to 16,000 acres of land. Like dozens of other projects, the Sacramento Regional County Sanitation District’s South County Ag program awaits specific congressional authorization.

“Regional San enthusiastically supports the efforts of Congresswoman Matsui and her leadership to address the region’s water quality and water supply reliability needs. This legislation represents another step in our shared efforts to guarantee our state with a safe and reliable supply of water,” said Prabhakar Somavarapu, District Engineer for the Sacramento Regional County Sanitation District.

Source: Congresswoman Doris Matsui