WASHINGTON, DC – Water recycling projects in Pittsburg, CA and six other Bay Area communities got a boost today when the House passed a bill by Congressman George Miller (D-CA) to provide federal assistance to municipal efforts to increase the use of recycled water and decrease the amount of water taken from the San Francisco Bay Delta and other fresh water sources. A similar bill is waiting for approval by the U.S. Senate.

“This bill is about the future,” said Miller, a long-time advocate of water recycling and an expert on California water issues. “This bill would greatly help Pittsburg and other California communities better manage their scarce water resources. Water recycling can and should play a growing and significant role in California water resource management.”

The City of Pittsburg and the Delta Diablo Sanitation District, in Miller’s congressional district, have been leading the local effort, investing time, energy, and local funds in developing water recycling projects to help meet regional water needs. Pittsburg intends to apply recycled water city parks, golf courses, medians, and other green spaces.

“Pittsburg and other communities and local agencies have already expended a great deal of time and effort on developing water recycling projects to help them to meet some of their municipal water needs,” Miller said. “This bill will give them the extra support they need to successfully complete their projects.”

Water recycling offers great potential to states like California that suffer periodic droughts and have limited fresh water supplies. Miller’s bill will establish a partnership between the federal government and local communities to implement a regional water recycling program in the Bay Area. In addition to Pittsburg, the bill would help Antioch, Palo Alto, Mountain View, Pacifica, South Santa Clara County, Redwood City, and San Jose.

There is a companion bill in the Senate introduced by Sens. Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer that needs to be approved before the legislation can become law. The House bill was co-sponsored by other Bay Area lawmakers, including Reps. Anna Eshoo (D- Atherton), Ellen Tauscher (D-Alamo), Jerry McNerney (D- Pleasanton), Tom Lantos (D- San Mateo), Mike Honda (D- San Jose), Zoe Lofgren (D- San Jose), and Pete Stark (D- Fremont).

The water recycling bill number is H.R.1526.

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