In 1992, The Washington State Legislature promulgated the Reclaimed Water Use Act
(Chapter 90.46 RCW). This legislation ushered in a new era of integrated water and
wastewater management to meet the growing water demands of our state. The legislature
directed the Department of Ecology (Ecology) to encourage water reuse, to establish
standards in consultation with the state Department of Health, to build on the work
already done in other states that have successful programs, and to streamline
implementation (permitting) processes. The initial standards were modeled after other
states, primarily California, and finalized in 1997. Washington also funded five
demonstration projects within the state to provide experience necessary to test various
facets of the new standards. There are currently 17 projects in operation with
approximately 20 more in various stages of planning, design or construction.
As the primary permitting and funding agency, Ecology has struggled in this
implementation phase. Constraints on the agency include limited staff, limited funding,
the shift from the previous way of doing business, the complexity and diversity of the
proposed projects, and limited dollars for infrastructure funding. In addition, the program
needs to relate to the specific and unique requirements of Washington State, including
varied climate, geology, economy, protection of instream flows for salmonids, wetlands,
and numerous small communities.
The state is currently in the process of identifying and determining how to best
implement our priorities. These challenges include technical, social, public health,
environmental, economic, financial and legal issues. This paper addresses the experience
of Washington State in implementing this program and the steps we are taking to build a
foundation for future success. It is designed to provide a model to help other states
through their own journey of customizing water reclamation and reuse to meet their
needs.
Includes 13 references, tables.
| Edition : | Vol. - No. |
| File Size : | 1
file
, 310 KB |
| Note : | This product is unavailable in Ukraine, Russia, Belarus |
| Number of Pages : | 14 |
| Published : | 01/11/2004 |
