Redwood City’s Recycled Water Use Ordinance was adopted by the City Council on July 7th, 2008 and took effect on August 6th, 2008.

An updated Fact Sheet about the ordinance is available here. Click here to see the Recycled Water Use Ordinance language and a Service Area map.

“Redwood City has been preparing for drought conditions for the past five years,” said Mayor Rosanne Foust. “Our ongoing water conservation efforts and our Recycled Water Project have been effective in reducing our water usage. The Recycled Water Use Ordinance will allow us to reuse even more non-potable water where it is feasible and meets all public health, safety and environmental standards.”

The Recycled Water Project, which uses recycled water for landscape irrigation, currently saves approximately 50 million gallons of drinking water per year, with a goal of saving 300 million gallons by the year 2010. The newly adopted Recycled Water Use Ordinance requires the use of recycled water for use in internal separate plumbing for urinals, internal cooling towers and external landscaping on new apartments, townhouses and condominiums, and on industrial and governmental projects. It also requires the use of recycled water for external landscaping on existing and remodeled commercial and industrial buildings.

For more information about conserving water, Redwood City Recycled Water Project and the Recycled Water Use Ordinance, visit the Project’s web page at: www.redwoodcity.org/water. For more information about participating in the project, call (650) 743-5759.

Current Construction Activities
Current Pipeline Installation in the Seaport Area, September '08 (pdf)

Bayshore Technology Park Construction Update, September '08 (pdf)

Map of Seaport Area Recycled Water Distribution Pipelines and Construction Segments (pdf)

There are many ways to stay informed during project construction:

• Read our monthly Project Updates  (pdf)
• Join our project mailing list to receive updates
• See our construction updates in The Pilot, a Redwood Shores monthly publication
• View a status map of Recycled Water Project Pipeline Installation in Redwood Shores  (pdf)
• View Frequently Asked Questions about Recycled Water

2007 Progress Report - Task Force Review on status of Recommendations

Redwood City Receives $2.9 Million Grant
The Redwood City Recycled Water Project has been awarded a $2.9 million grant from the California State Water Resources Control Board that will assist in the installation of approximately 29,000 linear feet of recycled water distribution pipeline along the east side of Highway 101 on the Greater Bayfront and Seaport areas. This grant is approximately 25% of the selected area’s project construction cost, and reduces the actual project cost to the City. The City acknowledges support from the Seaport Industrial Association and its executive director Greg Greenway, and the Commissioners and staff of the Port of Redwood City, for their tireless work that was critical in gaining this grant for Redwood City.

City Council
Periodically, items appear before the City Council regarding the Recycled Water Project. You can view City Council meeting Agendas and Minutes here.