House Passes Rep. Miller’s Bay Area Water Recycling Bill

House Passes Miller’s Bay Area Water Recycling Bill; Legislation will bring new water sources to drought-stricken California

WASHINGTON, DC – Rep. George Miller (D-Martinez) released the following statement after the House of Representatives passed his legislation to expand water recycling in six San Francisco Bay Area communities:

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“Today’s bill responds to the request for assistance from the state of California and local water managers to expand the supply of water in our drought-stricken state. This bill is good for our economy - it will create thousands of jobs and it will help reduce stress on our oversubscribed fresh water systems.

“Water recycling is supported by the major water coalitions, including the Metropolitan Water District and the Association of California Water Agencies, because they know the value of bringing alternative local water supplies like these online.

“This legislation will not only help my congressional district, which has pioneered water recycling efforts, but is one of a series of water recycling bills that the House has approved this year to expand water supply in communities up and down California, in Republican and Democratic districts alike -- without controversy, and without amendment, and without debate on larger California water policy issues. This year alone, the House has passed five local water bills for Republican members of the House. Those members asked for and received support from the House for their bills, and did not ask for an amendment for any one of those bills.”

The Bay Area Regional Water Recycling Program Expansion Act of 2009 builds on a successful partnership that Congress has already authorized – adding six additional water recycling projects for the Bay Area that would provide 7.2 million gallons of water per day, enough water for nearly 25,000 households. And the projects are expected to create more than 3,000 jobs. Water recycling projects allow local water managers to treat wastewater and use the clean, recycled water for landscape irrigation and other uses, including at golf courses and city parks.

The projects authorized under the bill are:

CCCSD-Concord Recycled Water Project
Central Dublin Recycled Water Distribution and Retrofit Project
Petaluma Recycled Water Project
Central Redwood City Recycled Water Project
Palo Alto Recycled Water Pipeline Project
Ironhouse Sanitary District-Antioch Recycled Water Project
More information on the bill is available at: http://georgemiller.house.gov/news/2009/05/new_legislation_would_expand_....

Source: Rep. George Miller