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Background

Background
In California, all discharge to surface water is regulated by the State Water Resources Control Board. Nine regional boards protect and enhance the quality of the waters in each watershed basin and issue case-specific permits for all dischargers under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES).
 
The City of Petaluma’s NPDES permit, as regulated by the San Francisco Bay RWRCB, prohibits discharge into the Petaluma River during the dry months of the year (May 1 through Oct 20). Therefore, in the 1980’s, the City of Petaluma began providing secondary-treated recycled water for the irrigation of pasture land. Later, the City expanded its recycled water irrigation program by adding a vineyard and the turf (lawns and greens) at two golf courses.
 
In October 2005, the City began constructing a new, advanced wastewater treatment facility, the Ellis Creek Water Recycling Facility. This facility will provide superior protection of public health and the environment, and produce tertiary-treated recycled water for irrigation of landscaped areas currently irrigated with the drinking water supply.
 
In 2006, the City completed the Water Demand and Supply Analysis Report (WDSAR), under which the use of recycled water was identified as a critical, drought-proof component in the City’s water conservation efforts. Using recycled water to irrigate parks, athletic fields, and for process water at the Ellis Creek Water Recycling Facility, keeps drinking water in the reservoirs, which builds drought resistance, extends Petaluma’s water supply, and diversifies the City’s water recycling program.  
 
The proposed Water Recycling Expansion Program is the result of the City’s recognition of water reuse as a valuable water conservation tool while also serving as an effective wastewater management tool. Expanding the use of recycled water is also included in the City’s Urban Water Management Plan. The recommended program includes an expanded tertiary recycled water system and scaled-back secondary system (due to limitations based on the City’s incoming wastewater flow) to offset current and future potable water demands where recycled water use is applicable.
 
Program Description
The Water Recycling Expansion Program proposes to implement a number of near-term recycled water facility improvements from the 2008 through 2014 timeframe and also plans for longer-term program improvements to meet buildout (2025) requirements. In the near-term, the proposed project includes construction of the recycled water system pipelines in the urban setting of east Petaluma, design and construction of the tertiary recycled water storage tanks in the foothills east of the City, and installation of major and smaller distribution pipelines. In the long-term, the program will continue expanding system pipelines to additional areas of Petaluma as demand for recycled water increases.