Recent Utah Legislation Affecting Wastewater Reuse

1
Recent Utah Legislation Affecting Wastewater
Reuse

• Water Environment Association
• of Utah Annual Conference
• March 30, 2006
• Jerry Olds
• State Engineer

2
Objectives

• Basic Principles of Water Law Reuse
• New Legislation
• Example Water Right Considerations for a Reuse
  Project

3
What water uses are covered by a municipal water
rights?
Domestic, commercial, industrial, irrigation,
stockwatering, etc
Could water uses change over time? What are the
deletion limits for municipal use?
4
Irrigation Recycling System
Can the water user capture and recycle the water?
Yes, if 1) it has not left their control 2)
they use the water for the same purposes 3)
they do not irrigate more land.
5
Chapter 73-3c - Conservation and Use of Sewage
Effluent (1995)

• Drought of 1999-2004
• New sources of water are limited
• Cost to develop effluent
• Litigation
• Proposed Legislation Water Task Force

6
HB 38 Water Reuse Requirements

• 73-3c Wastewater Reuse Act
• Reuse authorization contract
• Reuse by a public agency Administered as
  municipal water right Consistent with water
  right Does not enlarge Return flow
  satisfied

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Water Reuse Requirements (contd)

• Application Requirements Specify required
  information
• Reuse authorization contract Project
  Sponsor Treatment Plant Collection
  System WR Owner Water Purveyor Seller
  s of reuse water Retailer - replaced by reuse
• Agree w/ reuse pledge is consistent WR

8
Reuse Application Process

• Public Notice Newspaper Web
• Protest/Hearing
• Decision Can deny, if inconsistent Approve
  with conditions
• Judicial Review

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Other Provisions

• Annual reporting
• Rulemaking
• Infiltration water
• Change - point of discharge, WQ Board Consultant
  with state engineer

10
EXAMPLE Deer Springs City (Units
Acre-Feet) Div Depl.

• WR 1 Spring A, 1.0 cfs or 350 af 350 350
• WR 2 Spring B, .75 cfs (35.0 ac) 140 70
• WR 3 Well A, .50 cfs (30.0 ac) 120 60
• WR 4 Well B, 1.5 cfs (80 ac.) 320 160
• Allowable Diversion 930 Acre-Feet
• Allowable Depletion 640 Acre-Feet

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Deer Springs City (Contd)

• 40 used in house (20 Depleted)
• 60 irrigation of lawns (65 Efficiency)
• Secondary Treatment Sewage Effluent Discharged
  to Stream
• How much of their effluent can they reuse?

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Deer Springs City (Contd)

• Current Depletion
• ((930).4.2) ((930) .6 .65) 437.1 AF
• Sewer Plant Discharge
• (930) .4 .8 297.6 AF
• Allowable Reuse 640 437.1 202.9 AF

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Thank You
Questions?