Sacramento — At the State Water Board public forum on Oct. 7, members of the CalVal research team told board members they had completed their Phase 1 review of indirect potable reuse (IPR) facilities and have launched Phase 2 to develop uniform guidance on validation and monitoring for common treatment processes.

Mike McCullough, speaking for the Central Coast CalVal team, said the group raised more than $200,000 from local utilities and private firms and received a matching grant from the Water Research Foundation to complete a Phase 1 review. That report compared unit processes at existing IPR facilities, examined pathogen log reduction claims and identified data gaps for future guidance.

Jesus Gonzales, speaking for the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power and as a CalVal principal investigator, told the board the Phase 2 effort will last about two years and will include dozens of workshops with operators and technical experts to produce uniform guidance for three widely used treatment processes in potable reuse: reverse osmosis, membrane filtration and ultraviolet advanced oxidation.

Why it matters: CalVal’s work aims to support regulators and operators by clarifying validation and monitoring expectations for IPR treatment trains. Jesus Gonzales said “recycled water is our future water supply,” and CalVal intends its guidance to support the state’s recycled water goals.

Board response: Chair Joaquin Esquivel thanked the team and noted the board’s interest in aligning drinking‑water and water‑quality oversight for recycled water as DDW and DWR move forward with potable‑reuse regulation and guidance.

Ending: CalVal leaders asked for continued collaboration with DWR, DDW and the State Water Board as Phase 2 proceeds.