Town of Windsor Recycled Water Program

Located in the north San Francisco Bay Area, the Town of Windsor is a recognized leader among communities nationwide in the use of recycled water for agricultural and urban irrigation.

The Town of Windsor is already a leader among communities nationwide in the use of recycled water for the irrigation of agricultural lands, recreational facilities, schools and residential front and back yards, which saves millions of gallons a year of precious fresh water for drinking and other human uses. For a map of current sites which are using recycled water follow this link: Map of recycled water users

Windsor treats its wastewater to tertiary recycled water standards (also referred to as advanced water treatment) which is the highest level of treatment defined by the State. This level of treatment allows for unrestricted reuse in virtually all reclaimed water applications. The Town’s recycled water is monitored and tested daily to ensure that it consistently meets these high quality standards.

In addition to the Town Green, Wilson Ranch Soccer Park and the Windsor Golf Course, here are some other places where recycled water irrigation is being used successfully:

Vintage Greens- Irrigating Front and Back Yards with Recycled Water
The single-family homes in Windsor’s Vintage Greens subdivision are some of the first in Northern California to use recycled water to irrigate their front and back yards. The Vintage Greens housing community is sustainable, using the same amount of recycled water that each home contributes to the system. Recycled Water Application

Recycled Water Use at Windsor High School
Windsor High School is an exceptional example of excellence in water and resource management. About 40 acres of high school property are irrigated with highly treated disinfected recycled water, which also is used to flush the toilets in the 6-year-old school. This has resulted in a savings of about 1.4 million gallons of fresh water annually.

The use of recycled water along with other “green” practices helped the school and town share in the state's highest environmental honor for 2006, one of only 14 given out by then governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger. The Town's government and school district were singled out in the "sustainable community" category for pooling financial resources to help the environment and educate students to be good stewards of the environment.

Irrigating Crops on Agricultural Properties around Windsor including Santa Rosa Junior College’s Shone Farm
The Town of Windsor’s recycled water is used to irrigate vineyards and pasture land around the Town. The Town also provides recycled water to Santa Rosa Junior College’s Shone Farm, which is located on the eastern outskirts of Windsor. The farm is a 365-acre diversified college facility that is a hands-on, outdoor field laboratory and learning environment. Shone Farm will also be the site of a joint storage project between the SRJC and the Town of Windsor storing approximately 40 MG of recycled water.

For more information on Windsor’s recycled water quality, please visit Wastewater Treatment and Reclamation System Facilities and see the Town’s Water Quality Comparison Report.

Water Conservation
The Town is dedicated to an informative and aggressive water conservation program. The Town of Windsor continues to be a leader in promoting water conservation of its drinking water through its Every Drop Counts programs. These programs include rebates for high efficiency toilets and clothes washers, free water-saving plumbing fixtures, local school information outreach, a Water Wise Gardening website featuring low water-use plants, free home and commercial water use evaluations (audits), and informational inserts in utility bills. Visit Water Conservation or call 707-838-5357 for more information on the Every Drop Counts programs and how you can participate in and benefit from them.

Recycled Water

Windsor High School uses recycled water View the latest information on Windsor's water recycling projects

In May 2013, the Town of Windsor completed a Study to determine the most cost effective additions to the recycled water system. To review this report click the link:
Urban Recycled Water Facilities Planning Study Final May 2013
 

Useful Reference Links

Below are useful links for learning more about the benefits and many uses of recycled water in our community and others.

WateReuse Association (WateReuse)

Agricultural Irrigation Using Recycled Water

Recycled Water Saves California Farms

Urban Water Reuse

Marin Municipal Water District

Santa Rosa's Incremental Recycled Water Program

There is No New Water - by Frances Spivy-Weber

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

Conservation

Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA)

California Urban Water Conservation Council

California Water Service Group

The City of Santa Rosa Water Conservation Website

WaterInfo.org

Water Science for Schools

Water Wiser