AWWA ACE95243 ✓ Most Recent

There is increasing pressure to implement large scale water reuse in California due to severe waste discharge restrictions, reduction of imported supplies, environmental water demand, and increasing municipal demand. Despite this, there are few planned groundwater recharge projects using reclaimed water in California due to a number of issues: economic circumstances; continuing concerns by state regulatory agencies about viruses, nitrate, and trace organic compounds in the reclaimed water which could result in adverse health impacts when ingested; apprehension by the public about drinking water derived from reclaimed water; and the lack of specific criteria and guidelines to assist in the planning of groundwater recharge projects using reclaimed water. Current California Wastewater Reclamation Criteria (WRC) (State of California 1978) simply authorize the approval of groundwater recharge with reclaimed water on a case by case basis when the project is determined to be safe. It is desirable to establish specific statewide criteria for planning and implementing new groundwater recharge projects using reclaimed water. This paper describes the process of developing water reclamation criteria as developed by the Department of Health Services in California. In California, the Department of Health Services is charged with the development of water reclamation criteria. See more