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Water Reuse California praises state VAR reporting and urges accounting for environmental recycled‑water uses
Summary
Water Reuse California thanked board staff for a high VAR response rate, explained year‑to‑year variability in recycled water volumes due to wet 2024 water year, and urged that recycled water used for environmental purposes be counted in state totals.
Rosario Cortez, manager of regulatory affairs for Water Reuse California, told the State Water Resources Control Board on Sept. 3 that the board’s annual Volumetric Annual Report (VAR) on wastewater and recycled water achieved a 97% response rate and that staff outreach had been critical to data collection. Cortez said wetter conditions in the 2024 water year reduced demand for recycled water for irrigation and recharge, which explains modest year‑to‑year reductions in reported recycled use.
Cortez urged the board to include recycled water dedicated to environmental uses in VAR totals where that water reduces pressure on other resources, and reminded the board that the VAR reporting module will open on Jan. 1, 2026. She thanked staff — naming Laura McClellan and Rebecca Greenwood — for their work obtaining high response rates and offered the organization’s help with future outreach and data quality efforts.
