Utility Puts Gray Water to Use at Construction Sites for Conservation

Reclaimed water is now in use at construction sites served by the Riverside-based Western Municipal Water District as part of the agency’s conservation strategy, and the effort is helping save hundreds of thousands of gallons of drinking water, officials said today.

“The drought has really given us an opportunity to push even harder within our business practices to ensure that we’re making the most of this precious resource,” said WMWD General Manager John Rossi. “We continue our steadfast dedication to secure a reliable water supply for our customers.”

According to the utility, the move away from using fresh water for soil conditioning and dust control at project sites has saved nearly 2 million gallons of potable water since July.

Rossi acknowledged that the shift to recycled water for dust mitigation is part of the WMWD’s overall strategy to meet the state’s conservation mandates, implemented in June.

Officials estimated that by the end of the year, the volume of drinking water conserved will equal the amount available to serve 500 WMWD customers. The agency based the figures on the fact that it supplies about 10 construction sites with water for projects.

“Western is committed to providing water to businesses in our growing region, and using recycled water for parts of these projects is the right source for the right use,” Rossi said. “We continue to look for innovative ways to make the most out of our water supply.”

The district serves parts of Corona, Jurupa Valley, Moreno Valley Riverside and Wildomar.

--City News Service, photo via Shutterstock