Recycled Water Use in San Benito County

Abstract

Wastewater recycling is one way that jurisdictions worldwide are keeping pace with water demand, and several cities and counties in California are already using such programs or are in the development stages. San Benito County is an example of the latter and has been spending the past several years planning for short-term and long-term management of recycled water. In contrast, neighboring Monterey County has been recycling water for years and providing it to growers for irrigation of a variety of agricultural products. Questionnaires were distributed to representatives from various agencies in both counties to determine the reasons for conducting a recycled water program, the experienced (or expected) challenges to conducting such a program, and the experienced (or expected) benefits of a program. Representatives from both agencies identified issues related to water supply and quality, public participation, and institutional or regulatory processes. Additionally, San Benito County representatives noted financial issues as a major challenge to starting a recycled water program. Lessons from Monterey County’s program that could be useful to San Benito County in the future include the benefits of maintaining a high level of public involvement (especially with the end consumers of the recycled water), and the potential difficulty of meeting recycled water demand. Key Words: recycled water, reclaimed water, water quality, water supply, water policy, agriculture