The North Bay Water Reuse Authority (NBWRA/Authority) has eleven member agencies.
Who We Are
NBWRA member’s include:
- County of Marin
- Las Gallinas Valley Sanitary District
- Novato Sanitary District
- North Marin Water District
- Marin Municipal Water District
- Sonoma Water
- Sonoma Valley County Sanitation District
- City of Petaluma
- Napa County
- Napa Sanitation District
- City of American Canyon
The North Bay Water Reuse Authority provides administrative management and oversight and, the North Bay Water Reuse Program is comprised of member agencies recycled water projects.
The NBWRA’s goals are to:
- 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
Challenges We are Solving
Recycled water provides a reliable supply to offset the regions potable water demands through urban reuse, agricultural irrigation and environmental restoration projects. In addition to these beneficial end-uses, water quality improvements are also realized through reduced discharges of treated wastewater into San Pablo Bay.
Water Supply Issues in the North Bay
The northern 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 stressed and showing harmful effects on water levels and quality.
A warming climate will likely further stress water supplies and recycled water is a sustainable resource that can help augment regional water supplies, reduce competition for potable water, and ensure all water users needs are met during time of drought.
Role of Recycled Water in meeting these Challenges
- Recycled water is highly treated
- Quality is near that of potable water and can be used to offset current potable sources thereby extending water supply
- 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