California’s Office of Administrative Law approves direct potable reuse regulations

The Office of Administrative Law Approves Direct Potable Reuse Regulations

The Office of Administrative Law has approved the direct potable reuse regulations that were adopted by the State Water Resources Control Board on Dec. 19, 2023, marking a significant milestone in diversifying California’s water supply while ensuring its safety, quality, and reliability.

Regulations Address Key Issues

The approved regulations address several issues raised in a September comment letter from a coalition led by WateReuse California, which includes ACWA. These regulations establish criteria for the introduction of recycled water either directly into a public water system or into a raw water supply immediately upstream of a water treatment plant.

Unanimous Adoption and Implementation Update

In December, the State Water Board unanimously voted to adopt the regulations and also instructed the staff to provide an update on the implementation progress in approximately one year.

Enhancing Water Resilience

For ACWA member agencies, these regulations will enable the expansion of their water recycling capabilities, a crucial step in strengthening water resilience against the impacts of climate change. The regulations provide a consistent framework for water suppliers to plan ahead, understand expectations, and develop projects that are more drought resilient. This certainty allows water agencies to make essential local investments.

13-Year Process and Leadership

The State Water Board’s decision on December 19th concludes a 13-year legislative and regulatory process that involved extensive advocacy from California’s water and wastewater community. The leadership of WateReuse California throughout this process was instrumental in the adoption and approval of these landmark regulations.

Supporting Water Supply Strategy

ACWA recognizes water reuse as a significant source of water supply for long-term water resilience and fully supports Governor Gavin Newsom’s Water Supply Strategy goal of recycling and reusing 800,000 acre-feet of water per year by 2030.

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

1. SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation

   • Target 6.3: By 2030, improve water quality by reducing pollution, eliminating dumping and minimizing release of hazardous chemicals and materials.
   • Indicator 6.3.2: Proportion of bodies of water with good ambient water quality.

2. SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure

   • Target 9.4: By 2030, upgrade infrastructure and retrofit industries to make them sustainable, with increased resource-use efficiency and greater adoption of clean and environmentally sound technologies and industrial processes.
   • Indicator 9.4.1: CO2 emission per unit of value added.

3. SDG 13: Climate Action

   • Target 13.1: Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries.
   • Indicator 13.1.1: Number of deaths, missing persons, and directly affected persons attributed to disasters per 100,000 population.

Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Analysis

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

The issues highlighted in the article are connected to SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation, SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure, and SDG 13: Climate Action.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

Based on the article’s content, the specific targets identified are:
– Target 6.3: By 2030, improve water quality by reducing pollution, eliminating dumping and minimizing release of hazardous chemicals and materials.
– Target 9.4: By 2030, upgrade infrastructure and retrofit industries to make them sustainable, with increased resource-use efficiency and greater adoption of clean and environmentally sound technologies and industrial processes.
– Target 13.1: Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

The article mentions or implies the following indicators that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets:
– Indicator 6.3.2: Proportion of bodies of water with good ambient water quality.
– Indicator 9.4.1: CO2 emission per unit of value added.
– Indicator 13.1.1: Number of deaths, missing persons, and directly affected persons attributed to disasters per 100,000 population.

The article discusses the approval of direct potable reuse regulations, which is a major milestone in diversifying California’s water supply while maintaining its safety, quality, and reliability. This addresses the target of improving water quality (Target 6.3) by reducing pollution and ensuring good ambient water quality (Indicator 6.3.2).

The regulations also aim to facilitate the expansion of water recycling capabilities, which aligns with the target of upgrading infrastructure and adopting clean technologies (Target 9.4). The CO2 emission per unit of value added (Indicator 9.4.1) can be used to measure the sustainability and resource-use efficiency of the infrastructure and processes involved in water recycling.

Furthermore, the article mentions the importance of water resilience against climate change impacts. Strengthening resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards (Target 13.1) is crucial in ensuring a sustainable water supply. The number of deaths, missing persons, and directly affected persons attributed to disasters (Indicator 13.1.1) can be used to measure the effectiveness of resilience measures implemented.

Overall, the article highlights the connection between the approved regulations, water quality improvement, sustainable infrastructure, and climate resilience, which align with the identified targets and indicators.

Source: smartwatermagazine.com