WateReuse California Review - November 2023

More than 700 water professionals attended the WRCA annual conference in Indian Wells (Nov. 5-7) -- breaking all previous state section attendance records. The conference featured numerous technical sessions and panels on the most pressing reuse issues in the state and also included many networking opportunities. During the conference, the 2023 Annual Reuse Awards of Excellence were awarded, which highlighted the best and brightest projects and people in the California water reuse sector.

In addition, WRCA held its first-ever charity golf tournament which will help fund the Dr. Bahman Sheikh Memorial Scholarship. This scholarship supports undergraduate student(s) pursuing a degree at the University of California, Davis who are studying water sustainability and related topics. The tournament was sold out and a great time was had by all. You can view a video of the event below.

The WRCA Board of Trustees would like to extend its appreciation once again to all our sponsors and exhibitors. Their contributions support our annual conference and help WRCA fulfill its mission to promote recycled water and potable reuse throughout California. 

The statewide regulations for Direct Potable Reuse (DPR) are set for adoption at the December 19 hearing of the State Water Resources Control Board. The first unofficial draft of the DPR regulations was released in 2021. Since then, WRCA’s DPR Working Group has met with the Division of Drinking Water and with Board members on needed revisions. While WRCA did not receive all its requested changes, a number of critical revisions were made that give the DPR regulations additional flexibility. The adoption of the DPR regulations has been a long-term goal for WRCA, which has been steadily advocating for DPR regulations since 2010.

Recently WRCA attended the State Board's Making Conservation a California Way of Life Workgroup Kickoff Meeting, in which staff laid out its proposed approach for future workgroup meetings. 

State Board staff identified five workgroups. The Water Reuse Workgroup will focus, but not be limited to, addressing concerns raised regarding Special Landscape Areas irrigated with recycled water and a method to calculate a potable reuse bonus incentive associated with Direct Potable Reuse. These issues were raised in WRCA’s October 12 comment letter to the Water Board. A bonus incentive process has already been developed (and is included in the draft regulations) for groundwater and surface water augmentation potable reuse projects. WRCA believes it will be relatively straightforward to apply the same methodology for DPR projects.

The water recycling work group (meeting Dec. 1 and Dec.13) will include WRCA, State Board and Department of Water Resources staff, the Irvine Ranch Water District, the Santa Margarita Water District, the Pacific Institute, and the California Coastkeeper Alliance. Staff has indicated that they will also allow a broader group to attend and we will share this information as soon as it is available. For more information, please contact Rosario Cortés, Manager of Regulatory Affairs at rcortes@watereuse.org. 

WateReuse California has four standing committees:

Agricultural Reuse Committee, Communications Collaborative Group Committee, Legislative and Regulatory Committee, and Potable Reuse Permitting and Compliance Committee.

These committees are designed to allow member organizations a direct way to engage in their most related reuse field. Any individual belonging to a WRCA member is eligible to join. If you are interested in joining any of these committees, please complete the interest form: