water forbearance and recycling

CRWC chairs the Carmel River Task Force (CRTF), whose top priority now is to increase in stream flows in the Carmel River especially during the dry months of the year when the river tends to dry up.  Besides working to find an alternate water source for the Peninsula in place of the Carmel River, another initiative we are working on is called “forbearance and recycling.” Forbearance means encouraging water users that regularly pump from the river’s aquifer to pump and store more water during the wet months. Then using that stored water during the dry months instead of pumping from the aquifer. “Recycling” means enabling large water users in the Valley to capture and treat wastewater and storm water for their non-potable irrigation purposes (see attached photo of a sample treatment facility).  CRTF members are identifying prospects for either forbearance or recycling projects and then arranging funding to offset most of the project costs.  If you are interested in participating in these initiatives please contract Lorin Letendre, CRTF Chair at [email protected] or John Gaglioti, CRTF Committee Chair at [email protected].