With supply shortages, reclaimed water offers a viable option
for growers
Local officials wisely are planning for the long term by
pursuing reclaimed water as an alternative supply to help offset
future shortages.
The county water district recently showed off results of the
project’s initial stages
– a test garden at the Riverside/Brigantino Park site – in an
effort to ensure growers of the product’s viability. District
officials have been monitoring the garden for minerals and
pathogens, for which tests have come up negative. They also analyze
the soil and will test the plant tissue at th
e end of the growing cycle.
With supply shortages, reclaimed water offers a viable option for growers
Local officials wisely are planning for the long term by pursuing reclaimed water as an alternative supply to help offset future shortages.
The county water district recently showed off results of the project’s initial stages – a test garden at the Riverside/Brigantino Park site – in an effort to ensure growers of the product’s viability. District officials have been monitoring the garden for minerals and pathogens, for which tests have come up negative. They also analyze the soil and will test the plant tissue at the end of the growing cycle.
The proactive effort has been undertaken as drought conditions in recent years have left supplies throughout the region short. Just a few years back, there wasn’t anywhere near the potential demand needed to explore the option. The interest is there, so it makes sense to make the investment now.
There must be an alternative supply identified because besides the unfavorable weather the past three years for the agriculture industry, growth in time will squeeze the supply even further. It’s better to plan for the future rather than waiting for a crisis.
Though it’s just step one, the results are impressive so far, and growers appear on board with the project’s direction. Without the growers’ trust, it can’t get off the ground.
For growers, understandably, the biggest roadblock is their ability to market the water to shippers and packers. Naturally, that means trumping negative perceptions, considering the source is the Hollister wastewater treatment plant, and proving that the supply meets all necessary standards.
It’s important to note that San Benito County isn’t the first area to use reclaimed water, which is OK for agricultural uses but not legally approved for drinking.
Fortunately, the process has been proven successful in other places, so it’s not as big of a long shot as it may sound. Other area communities such as Watsonville use it, and even larger metropolitan jurisdictions such as San Diego have pulled it off. The state as a whole, meanwhile, is among the leaders in the nation for using the alternative supply.
Although local officials should continue using groundwater and other sources that are available, the potential gains in rural San Benito County for use of reclaimed water are enormous. The district expects it could add 4,000 acre-feet to the supply annually. That’s about 20 percent of the water pulled from local wells each year.
It’s the kind of breathing room this area and others will need as the shortage amplifies. Local water officials have recognized that, and they’re on the right track toward insuring an adequate, sustainable supply for the future.
