Water for the Future

Today’s water resource planners recognize that there is no such thing as “waste” water. All water has value, and technology now makes it possible to treat water and keep it for beneficial use.

The City of Morro Bay is pursuing a potable reuse project for groundwater recharge that will produce advanced purified recycled water to replenish the Lower Morro groundwater basin, creating a new, reliable, and drought resistant water supply for the City of Morro Bay. The new Water Resources Center, located on South Bay Boulevard, uses a proven, multi-step, advanced purification process to treat wastewater and produce potable quality recycled water that can be injected into the groundwater basin and then extracted for use in the drinking water system.

What is Potable Reuse?

Potable reuse* refers to recycled water you can drink. The reclaimed water is purified sufficiently to exceed federal and state drinking water standards and is safe for human consumption.
*Source: WateReuse Association

Potable Reuse in Morro Bay

Wastewater from homes and businesses in Morro Bay is purified at the newly constructed Water Resources Center through an Advanced Water Purification Process before being used again for recharge purposes. The purified water will travel from the Water Resources Center to wells where it will be injected into the groundwater aquifer. After traveling through the aquifer for a minimum of two months, the water can be extracted at the City’s groundwater wells, where it will then go through the City’s standard groundwater treatment processes and water quality testing to ensure the water meets all state and federal drinking water standards. It will then be sent into the City’s drinking water distribution system.

The new Water Resources Center can produce approximately 970,000 gallons of purified water each day. This new infrastructure will help improve the reliability of the City’s water supply portfolio by enhancing recharge and protecting against seawater intrusion in the Morro Basin during periods of drought and State Water Project shutdowns.

Advanced Water Purification

Advanced Water Purification is a scientifically proven technology used throughout California, the United States, and around the world. It includes a multi-step process that purifies water that has already been treated at a wastewater treatment plant. This advanced purification process allows the City to utilize treated wastewater that would otherwise be sent to the ocean outfall. The City’s newly constructed Water Resources Center includes the traditional wastewater treatment process and the Advanced Water Purification process.

First, the traditional wastewater treatment process includes:

Screening – to remove trash, grit, and other inorganic materials
Secondary Treatment – using beneficial microbes to feed on solids and organic matter to remove harmful bacteria and other pollutants
Membrane Filtration – removing microscopic particles including suspended solids, bacteria, and protozoa

Advanced Water Purification is then added including:

Reverse Osmosis – using fine membranes to remove most toxic organics and organisms in addition to salts and lead
UV/Advanced Oxidation – applying ultraviolet light combined with chlorine to create a chemical reaction that destroys trace chemicals, organisms, or contaminants that remain at this stage.

These technologies have been successfully used for decades as proven barriers that remove contaminants of concern and safeguard public health. The City’s newly constructed Water Resource Centers will use all of these steps to ensure high quality water that is ready for storage in the groundwater aquifer.

A Safe and Sustainable Water Supply

Providing clean, safe water is our highest priority – regardless of whether that water comes from hundreds of miles away through the State Water Project or from our own community through the Water Resources Center.

The Water Reclamation Facility Program combines advanced water purification and a natural buffer for safe, purified drinking water that will meet or surpass all state and federal drinking water standards. The City will be required by the California Division of Drinking Water to vigilantly monitor and test the water from the Water Resources Center at a third-party state-certified laboratory before it is ever delivered to the community. In addition, on-site water quality testing is done at different steps in the treatment process to ensure high quality and safety.

Water Reuse is as Old as Time

All water on earth was created millions of years ago; there is no “new” water. Water since the beginning of time has been recycled through a natural process called the hydrologic cycle. Now technology allows us to accomplish the same thing through an intensive process to remove contaminants and impurities and ensure public health and safety.

The Our Water Program will provide a new, reliable and drought resistant water supply source for the City and enhanced groundwater quality through reduced background salinity and nitrate levels.

Timeline

In summer 2022, construction started on Injection Well No. 1 adjacent to the bike path near Lila Keiser Park. This first injection well is being used to test and verify the underground conditions and water storage capacity. The project will later include construction of additional wells to inject purified water from the Water Resources Center into the aquifer where it will travel underground before being pumped out for use in the drinking water distribution system. The injection well network will allow the City to create a new source of recharge for the Morro Basin and may help prevent seawater intrusion and nitrate contamination. The full-scale well system is expected to be complete by September 2026.