The Coachella Valley Water District recycles more than 2 billion gallons of water each year, subjecting it to an advanced multi-step process that filters out solids, organic materials, chemicals and germs. At three of the district’s six wastewater reclamation plants, the treated water is clean enough for human contact (though not consumption), groundwater replenishment or outdoor irrigation.
CVWD currently sells and delivers recycled water to 16 golf courses and homeowner associations that use it to irrigate grass and landscapes and fill lakes. In other areas of California, recycled water is used to irrigate parks, freeway landscaping and even some crops.
Recycled water is safe when the guidelines are followed and it is used for its intended purpose. Recycled water must meet strict water quality standards outlined in Title 22, Chapter 3, Division 4 of the California Code of Regulations. In order to make sure that CVWD's treatment plants are meeting Title 22 standards, every day a recycled water sample is collected and analyzed for total coliform bacteria. Also, chlorine residual, modal contact time, and turbidity are continuously monitored.
Increasing the supply and use of recycled water is a key component of CVWD’s long-range water management plans. Currently, all the recycled supply is being used. Unfortunately, irrigation needs are the highest in the summer, when the wastewater supply is at its lowest, causing a need for additional non-potable water supply.
In 2009, the district completed the first phase of the Mid-Valley Pipeline. The Mid-Valley Pipeline brings imported water from the Coachella Canal in to the water reclamation plant in Palm Desert. There, it is blended with recycled water, thus increasing the supply of non-potable water for existing customers and providing a stable year-round supply.
Future phases of this project will include construction of a non-potable water distribution system to serve up to 50 golf courses and large landscape customers within Palm Desert, Indian Wells and Rancho Mirage.
What you can do
- Show your support for recycled water by encouraging current users to continue the practice and new customers to come online when recycled water is available to them.
- Learn more. Group tours of CVWD’s wastewater reclamation plant in Palm Desert are available year-round upon request by calling 760-398-2651 or emailing us.
