Recycled Water
Surface water imported from the Central Valley Project (CVP) is being treated to drinking water standards at the Lessalt and West Hills Water Treatment Plants in Hollister. The higher quality imported water has less mineral content than our local groundwater. This allows for a much better quality drinking water that is delivered to resident’s homes.
Once this water is used by residents and businesses, the resulting wastewater is sent to the City’s Reclamation facility where it is treated and used for agriculture and/or landscape irrigation. Not only does the recycled or reclaimed water act as a new water supply, the higher quality wastewater leaving residents and businesses also helps meet state discharge requirements and will help protect our groundwater basin. It will also help to mitigate reduced allocations from the CVP associated with drought and other environmental issues giving us more flexibility, reliability and local control. Having the ability to recycle water is like getting two gallons of imported water for every one gallon of imported water that is received.
Recycled water is treated to strict standards set by the California Department of Health Services and is rigorously monitored by local, state and federal agencies to ensure it continuously meets those standards.