FAQs • Rancho California Water District, CA • CivicEngage

Who benefits from recycled water use?: Everyone benefits from recycled water. As the population in California continues to grow from the current 39 million to an estimated 52 million people by the year 2030, so does the demand on our limited water supply. Since our drinking water supply is limited, finding ways to conserve our supply is critical. By using recycled water for irrigation, we can conserve our precious drinking water supply while providing a reliable, growing, and drought-proof source of additional water.

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Recycled Water

1. Is recycled water safe to use?: Yes! Recycled water is made by purifying wastewater. It is given additional disinfection and filtration processes that make it safe for irrigation. Recycled water is carefully monitored to protect public health and safety, and is strictly regulated by the local and state health departments and the Regional Water Quality Control Board. It is safely used at hundreds of parks, schools, greenbelts, agricultural operations, and golf courses throughout California. The recycled water pipeline system is completely separate from your drinking water system.

2. Is recycled water is reliable?: Even in times of drought when restrictions are placed on the use of potable (drinking) water for non-essential uses like landscape irrigation, recycled water is readily available. During periods of mandatory cutbacks and water rationing, recycled water can save an investment of hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of landscaping.

3. Who benefits from recycled water use?: Everyone benefits from recycled water. As the population in California continues to grow from the current 39 million to an estimated 52 million people by the year 2030, so does the demand on our limited water supply. Since our drinking water supply is limited, finding ways to conserve our supply is critical. By using recycled water for irrigation, we can conserve our precious drinking water supply while providing a reliable, growing, and drought-proof source of additional water.

4. Does recycled water’s nutrients reduce fertilizer costs?: Some harmless nutrients survive the wastewater treatment process, giving recycled water an added benefit. Many recycled water customers have discovered that fertilizer costs are reduced for landscaping irrigated with recycled water.

5. What will happen if my pet accidentally drinks recycled water?: Recycled water is almost as pure as drinking water. It has been carefully treated and has been disinfected to kill microorganisms. As a result of this treatment, recycled water is perfect to use as a supply of landscape irrigation. Even if you or a family pet swallowed recycled water, it should not make you sick. It may still contain some nutrients or dissolved metals and salts that keep it from meeting our strict drinking water standards.

6. How long has recycled water been used?: Water recycling is practiced worldwide. California has been a pioneer in water recycling for over 50 years. In California there are over 250 water recycling plants in operation. California's first water recycling project began in 1929 when the City of Pomona provided treated wastewater from its municipal sewage treatment plant for landscape irrigation. The first plant built solely for recycling and reuse was constructed in 1932 in San Francisco to irrigate Golden Gate Park.