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Commission discusses gray-water readiness as city plans irrigation master plan
Summary
Commissioners asked whether the new irrigation plan could be designed to accept recycled/gray water in the future. A consultant said East Bay MUD currently lacks a recycled-water distribution source nearby and parallel infrastructure would add cost; regulatory advances (direct potable reuse) could change future approaches.
During discussion of the irrigation master plan RFP, commissioners asked whether the city could prepare irrigation infrastructure to accept gray (recycled) water in the future. A consultant responded that gray-water reuse requires parallel infrastructure and a reliable source, and that the East Bay MUD treatment plant does not currently provide recycled-water distribution to Piedmont.
"It requires parallel infrastructure to be installed, which increases your cost... we do not have a source of gray water that is anywhere close to being readily available," the consultant said, noting that building such parallel systems today would be expensive and premature unless a regional source and market were assured.
Commissioners discussed regulatory trends and possible future direct potable reuse pathways that could reduce the need for parallel piping, and staff noted that the irrigation contract should provide flexibility for different zones and future adjustments. Staff recommended not incorporating gray-water-specific plumbing into the immediate project but ensuring irrigation zoneing and control approaches that could accommodate future changes without wholesale replacement.
No formal decision was made; the commission encouraged coordination between the irrigation RFP and the sustainability consultant's scope.
