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Did Potable Reuse Just Become More Feasible in California?
Author(s) -
Lafrance David
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
journal ‐ american water works association
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.466
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1551-8833
pISSN - 0003-150X
DOI - 10.1002/j.1551-8833.2013.tb11239.x
Subject(s) - reuse , business , service (business) , environmental economics , potable water , limiting , environmental science , engineering , marketing , waste management , economics , environmental engineering , mechanical engineering
A recent decision by a California court states that a city's reuse water rates that distribute reuse service costs to all ratepayers ‐ including those who do not receive reuse water ‐ did not comply with the state's Proposition 218, which places requirements on how user fees may be adjusted. Generally, the ruling says that treated‐water customers should not share in the cost of a reuse water system if they are not receiving reuse water. On its face this decision creates a challenge for financing reuse systems by limiting the customer base that is paying for them. On the other hand, it may create an opportunity and a rationale for more fully integrating reuse water across entire systems.