by Francesca Cervantes, Community Sustainability Advisor
“Necessity is the mother of invention.” “Where there’s a will, there’s a way.” These wise proverbs remind us that creative solutions often grow from difficult circumstances. As we move further into summer and California’s drought continues, local residents are becoming ever more resourceful at water conservation and adopting sustainable methods to maintain their landscapes. For county residents, the Central Contra Costa County Sanitary District, better known as Central San, is making it easier to do just that through its recycled water program.
Central San has been distributing recycled water since the late 1970s, but until recently, most users were commercial and institutional customers with irrigation needs for parks, ball fields, schools and public spaces. Today, a broader group of users visits the recycled water filling station in Martinez. On any given day from Monday to Saturday, residents from all over the county pull up with milk jugs, drums, barrels and even, water tanks to haul recycled water back to their homes.
Through a tried and true technology, recycled water has been utilized in California and around the world for decades. The state alone uses almost 200 billion gallons per year. Federal, regional and state water quality standards regulate the multi-step cleaning process. The end-result is high-quality water that has been filtered and disinfected for purposes of irrigating parks, schoolyards and homes.
Recycled water is free and easy to obtain. Customers only need to bring their containers with watertight lids. You can haul away up to 300 gallons per trip and stop by the station as often as you need. There is no limit on a visitor’s number of trips.
Since the Governor announced mandatory restrictions in April, the program has been going strong, adding at least 25 new users each day for a current roster of 1,000 registered users. The agency has given out more than 2 million gallons of recycled water since the program began last November. More than 500 visitors arrive to the filling station each day.
First-time users need to fill out a Residential Recycled Water Use Agreement that explains the proper use of recycled water for lawns and landscaping. Central San emphasizes that recycled water is not drinking water, but a valuable resource intended for irrigation and maintenance of green spaces.
A widespread drought is always tough, but California’s water shortage is prompting folks to find more creative ways of conserving. Through Central San’s recycled water program, county residents can live more sustainably and care for the environment. Consider a visit to the station this summer.
The filling station’s location is 4797 Imhoff Place in Martinez.
Hours are Monday through Saturday, 9 am – 3:30 pm.
Blank forms of the Residential Recycled Water Use Application/Agreement can be downloaded from www.centralsan.org/recycledwater or obtained at the Household Hazardous Waste Collection Facility (HHWCF) at the same location.
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