About NBWRA

Board of Directors | Technical Advisory Committee | Agendas & Minutes

Seven local agencies in the North San Pablo Bay region have formed the North Bay Water Reuse Authority (NBWRA) to put recycled water to its broadest and most beneficial use.

Who We Are

The members of NBWRA include:

• Las Gallinas Valley Sanitary District
• Napa County
• Napa Sanitation District
• Novato Sanitary District
• North Marin Water District and Napa County
• Sonoma County Water Agency
• Sonoma Valley County Sanitation District

The Project is the North Bay Water Recycling Program and the North Bay Water Reuse Authority oversees it.

The NBWRA goals are to work toward providing:

• Offset urban and agricultural demands on potable water supplies;
• Enhance local and regional ecosystems;
• Improve local and regional water supply reliability;
• Maintain and protect public health and safety;
• Promote sustainable practices;
• Give top priority to local needs for recycled water, and
• Implement recycled water facilities in an economically viable manner.

Areas Served

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The Challenges We Are Solving

Recycled water can provide a reliable and sustainable source of to augment limited potable water supplies and to help water agencies meet increasingly strict regulatory controls on discharge of regular water.

Recycled water use will help meet regional water supply challenges

Water Supply Issues in the North Bay
The North San Pablo Bay regions of Sonoma, Marin and Napa Counties face long term challenges in providing reliable water supplies. Surface and groundwater sources are limited, and some local groundwater basins are over pumped with harmful effects on water levels and quality.

A clean reliable water supply is also needed in order to continue the restoration of tidal wetlands in San Pablo Bay.

A warming climate may further stress water supplies. Recycled water is a sustainable resource that can augment the local water supply.

Wastewater Issues - Regulatory Limits On Discharges into San Pablo Bay and Rivers
Additionally, water treatment agencies face strict regulatory limits on the timing and quality of the treated water they can discharge to the San Pablo Bay, as well as the rivers and streams that flow to it. By treating water to stricter regulatory levels required for reuse, the agencies can recycle the water productively to address water supply needs and reduce the amount released to San Pablo Bay and its tributaries.

Role of Recycled Water in Meeting These Challenges

• Recycled water is highly treated.
• Quality is near that of potable water.
• Reliable and available, even in a drought.
• Useful for agriculture and landscapes.
• Lower cost than new potable water resources.
• Usually has a lower "carbon footprint" than potable supplies.