AB 2398 Summary

• Enacts the Water Recycling Act of 2012 establishing statewide goals to recycle 1.5 million acre-feet of water annually by 2020 and 2.5 million acre-feet annually by 2030.

• Requires the State Department of Public Health to adopt drinking water criteria for groundwater recharge projects using recycled water by December 31, 2013, and criteria for advanced treated purified water for raw water augmentation by December 31, 2016.

• Creates a comprehensive permitting system for recycled water use by state and regional water boards, including requirements for engineering reports, public hearings, monitoring, and compliance with uniform water recycling criteria.

• Establishes the Water Recycling Permit Fund and Augmentation Permit Fund through filing and annual fees to support permit administration and enforcement activities.

• Authorizes state and local agencies to require use of recycled water for nonpotable purposes including irrigation, toilet flushing, cooling towers, and floor trap priming, with specified conditions regarding quality, cost, and public health protection.