General Information
In an effort to reduce its dependence on imported potable water, the District operates a recycled water system for use in irrigating large landscaped areas such as parks and school grounds, which have traditionally placed a significant demand on the District’s potable drinking water system. The District obtains its recycled water from the County Sanitation Districts’ Pomona Water Reclamation Plant. Recycled water is the official name given to wastewater which has undergone an extensive treatment process and is available for reuse after being tested and certified by the Department of Health Services to ensure that it is safe for irrigation purposes. The District’s recycled water system, which is completely separate from the potable (drinking) water system, delivers an average of 660 million gallons annually of this “drought-proof” water. The recycled water supply is augmented by groundwater from the District’s recycled wells.
Appropriate precautions are taken to prevent or minimize public contact with recycled water. Irrigation should be practiced during periods when the grounds will have maximum opportunity to dry before use by the public unless provisions are made to exclude the public from areas during and after spraying with recycled water. All recycled water valves, outlets, and sprinkler heads should be appropriately tagged to warn the public that the water is not safe for drinking or direct contact. Recycled water facilities can easily be identified because they are painted purple or made of purple plastic.