Regulation
Health & Safety
| Treatment Process | Testing | Regulation
| Water Quality
With the adoption of the Porter-Cologne Act in 1969,
the Legislature declared its intent to "undertake all possible steps
to encourage development of water recycling facilities." Although
water recycling and reuse projects operated successfully before that time,
laws enacted in 1969 set forward a basic structure for water reuse projects
that has been in place for nearly 30 years. The California Water Code
articulates a clearly-defined strategy favoring the beneficial reuse of
water to the maximum extent practical. Under this structure of laws and
administrative regulations, the California Department of Health Services
(DHS) is responsible for the adoption of regulations for the use of recycled
water.
Highest Treatment for the Highest Use
DHS establishes water quality standards and treatment
reliability criteria for water recycling under Title
22, Chapter 4, of the California Code of Regulations. Requirements
for a use of recycled water not addressed by the uniform statewide criteria
are established by DHS on a case-by-case basis. Uses
of Recycled Water illustrates the wide variety of successful reuse
applications and the level of treatment required.
Title 22 sets bacteriological water quality standards
on the basis of the expected degree of public contact with recycled water.
For water reuse applications with a high potential for the public to come
into contact with the reclaimed water, Title 22 requires disinfected tertiary
treatment. For applications with a lower potential for public contact,
Title 22 requires three levels of secondary treatment, basically differing
by the amount of disinfectant required.
Other Health and Safety Protections
In addition to establishing recycled water quality
standards, Title 22 specifies the reliability and redundancy for each
recycled water
treatment and use operation. Treatment plant design must allow for efficiency
and convenience in operation and maintenance and provide the highest
possible
degree of treatment under varying circumstances. For recycled water piping,
DHS has requirements for preventing backflow of recycled water into
the
public water system and for avoiding cross-connection between the recycled
and potable water systems.
Other regulations include the Uniform Plumbing Code
which contains requirements for the installation, construction, alteration,
and repair of reclaimed water systems intended to supply toilets, urinals,
and trap primers for floor drains and floor sinks. Use of recycled water
for these applications is limited to nonresidential buildings. The California-Nevada
Section of the American Water Works Association has issued guidelines
for planning, designing, constructing, and operating recycled water systems.
These guidelines provide essential design criteria and specifications
for the construction of transmission, storage, pumping, and other facilities.
Also included is a description of system operation and maintenance requirements
pursuant to applicable state regulations. |
