Water Recycling Program Passes House

October 15, 2009
Press Release
 

Water Recycling Program Passes House

Washington, D.C. - The U.S. House of Representatives voted today to supplement California's drought-stricken water supply with an additional 2.6 billion gallons of water per year.  H.R. 2442, the Bay Area Regional Water Recycling Program Expansion Act of 2009, authorizes new projects which will improve supply for the San Francisco Bay and Sacramento/San Joaquin Delta system, the largest estuary on the west coast of North America and the source of water for two-thirds of California.

"Water is a precious and limited resource, especially in California.  This bill expands our shrinking water supply, adds jobs, and protects our environment," said Rep. Anna G. Eshoo (D-Palo Alto), a cosponsor of the bill since its inception.  "Every drop of water that we can recycle, is a drop we don't drain from our supply."

Established by Congress in 1992 and completed in 1999, the Bay Area Recycled Water Master Plan identified 33 Bay Area projects with the potential to create over 40 billion gallons of water per year by 2010.  Thus far, only seven projects have been authorized, which create about 4 billion gallons.  H.R. 2442 would expand two of these projects and authorize another six, adding 2.6 billion gallons of recycled water per year to the region.

Peter Drekmeier, Mayor of Palo Alto commended the bill's passage: "Recycled water will play a major role in helping the state meet its future water needs.  H.R. 2442 is a key component of a long-term sustainable solution to California's ongoing water demand issues.  It will help Palo Alto complete our recycled water project and expand the regional recycled water system into our neighboring communities.  We are grateful to Congresswoman Eshoo for her support of this legislation."

California currently faces its fourth year of drought which has idled hundreds of thousands of acres of farmland, intensified joblessness, encouraged wildfires, and cost Californians hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue.

"Declining water supplies are impacting communities around the state and across the country.  H.R. 2442 and other bills like it are essential for creating a sustainable future in California and serve as excellent models for the rest of America.  Not only does this legislation bolster our water supply in sustainable fashion, it also creates new green jobs around the Bay Area," said Rep. Eshoo.  The projects funded in H.R. 2442 are estimated to support over 3,500 Bay Area jobs.

The Bay Area Regional Water Recycling Program Expansion Act includes funding for the following projects in the 14th Congressional District:

  • $8.25 million for the Palo Alto Recycled Water Pipeline Project

This project will construct pipeline, pump stations, and laterals to over 90 user sites, delivering 325 million gallons of recycled water each year, resulting in a gallon for gallon reduction of consumption of Bay Area potable water supplies.

  • $8 million for the Central Redwood City Recycled Water Project

This project will reduce the City's demand on the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission's Hetch Hetchy water supply system by about 326,000 gallons per year.

"With Representative Eshoo's help, the passage of H.R. 2442 is a milestone in ensuring the future of our critical water supply in the Bay Area.  This enables Redwood City to save an additional 350 million gallons of fresh water annually by expanding our recycled water program, and those savings will be greatly magnified in other projects throughout the Bay Area," said Rosanne Foust, Mayor of Redwood City.

H.R. 2442 passed the House by a vote of 241-173.

 

 

###