California has long faced the challenge of allocating a fixed water supply among a growing population with diverse needs. In many cases, there just isn't enough water to go around. The Napa Sanitation District is exploring alternative ways to expand its use of recycled water to offset dependency on groundwater and to reduce the amount of highly treated reclaimed water released into the Napa River. We invite you to become familiar with and comment on the various strategies and potential solutions outlined in a long term planning document under consideration called The Recycled Water Strategic Plan. In early 2006, the Napa Sanitation District Board is scheduled to adopt the Strategic Plan.

The Napa Sanitation District owns and operates the Soscol Water Recycling Facility (WRF) south of the City of Napa. Currently, treated wastewater is sent to the Napa River during the wet season (November 1 through April 30). During the dry season (May 1 through October 31), the water is reclaimed and then distributed for reuse to local vineyards, industrial parks, and golf courses. This recycled water produced at the Soscol WRF is disinfected tertiary quality, which is the highest quality recognized under the Department of Health Services, Title 22 requirements.

The District and its engineering consultants have developed a Recycled Water Strategic Plan to explore options to maximize the recycling of wastewater produced at the Soscol WRF to provide the following benefits to the community by addressing the area's urgent water supply and wastewater disposal issues:

• Assurance that the highest quality water is reserved for the highest quality use, public drinking water
• Decreased reliance on dwindling groundwater supplies
• Increased availability of recycled water for irrigation in water-short areas
• Prevention or postponement of costly water supply projects
• Enhancement of the Bay-Delta System by reducing dependence on the North Bay Aqueduct
• Broader rate base for the District with more recycled water users
• Reduction of emphasis on the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit for river discharge and its associated costs and uncertainty