Put Recycled Water to Work for You

Conserve a Precious Resource

In the arid Western United States, water is a scarce resource and a valuable commodity — one that no community can afford to waste. That is why Redwood City is proud to be making highly treated recycled water available for industrial processes and landscape irrigation throughout the Seaport and Greater Bay Front areas.

Using recycled water for irrigation and industrial processes are two effective ways to create a supplemental water resource that is safe and dependable. It saves a tremendous amount of precious drinking water for its intended purpose and it is part of Redwood City’s long-term strategy to ensure an adequate, reliable and affordable water supply for business and residential customers. Expanding the use of recycled water and practicing water conservation are sound ways to preserve this vital resource.

Practice Good Stewardship

Businesses that participate in our Recycled Water Project can be proud of their roles as good stewards of the environment and their community. Choosing recycled water for your industrial processes and landscape irrigation will send a message to the larger community that you are doing your part to help Redwood City meet its water supply objectives.

Tap into a Drought-Proof Water Supply

Another benefit of becoming a recycled water customer is the dependability of the recycled water supply throughout the year. If you are an industrial user, you know how essential a dependable water supply is to the successful operations of your plant. And, as a recycled water user for landscape irrigation, you will be able to sustain healthy landscaping, even when others are forced to cut back due to increasingly high costs of drinkable water or because of drought conditions.

And Save Money, Too

Seaport businesses who switch to recycled water will realize substantial savings for at least five years from the connection date. For industrial meters, the City will discount each water bill by 40 percent. For commercial irrigation meters, the discount will be 25 percent.

Make a Smooth Transition

Additionally, existing water customers will incur no connection fees and Redwood City will pay the costs of retrofitting your landscape irrigation to accept recycled water. If you are an industrial user, you will want to retrofit your own systems because you know them better than anyone else, which is why recycled water rates for industrial users are discounted more than those for landscape irrigation customers.

To help businesses make an easy and successful transition to the use of recycled water, the Redwood City Public Works Services Department will provide an extensive program of informational support services and direct assistance to industrial and landscape irrigation recycled water customers. This assistance includes…

For industrial users:

• Water quality evaluation as related to production processes.
• Technical advice on regulations, design and water use efficiency.
• Assistance with meeting regulatory requirements of agencies such as Department of Health Services (DHS) and the Regional Water Quality Control Board (RWQCB).
• Training for key personnel.

For landscape irrigation users:

• Soil and plant tissue analysis and recommendations.
• Irrigation system evaluations and efficiency recommendations.
• Training for site supervisors.
• Workshops in successful landscape management, with specific suggestions on using recycled water most effectively.
• Plant evaluation and replacements (determined on a case by case basis).
• Reimbursement for some irrigation equipment upgrades or adjustments (determined on a site by site basis).