Merced to use recycled water on trees, parks

The city of Merced announced Tuesday it received permission from the state to use non-potable water from the city’s Wastewater Treatment Plant to keep public parks greener.

The water normally would pour into Hartley Slough and head out to the wetlands, but instead some will go to local park landscaping. The city also will use it to flush sewer lines and for street sweeping, according to city spokesman Mike Conway.

During a press conference at Applegate Park, Conway said the city wants residents to know the huge yellow truck spraying water on city parks is using non-potable water. The trucks are marked “recycled water in use,” and remind people that the water is not for consumption.

“It’s not using drinking water,” he said.

The city has been able so far this year to meet the state mandate of water conservation in the fourth year of drought. In July 2013, the city pumped 1,197 million gallons of water, officials said, compared to just 666 million gallons in July of this year.

Merced was mandated by the state to use 36 percent less water than the baseline year. So far, city use is down by 44 percent, according to the state Water Resources Control Board.

The drought has hit some city trees particularly hard. Stan Murdock, the public works director, said trees that are not native to the area are more likely to die and be removed.

But, the city will replace those with native plants. Some trees, like redwoods, have had to be removed from throughout the city. “It’s probably in the neighborhood of 100 (trees removed),” Murdock said.

The city has been watering playing surfaces at parks to keep them green for the teams that use them. A park like Applegate, which has plenty of grass but no playing fields, was much more brown than green. Using recycled water will allow the city to water parks twice a week instead of only once, officials said.

A handful of medians have been switched to drip irrigation, according to the news release, and the city has plans to convert a few more.

Officials were quick to say the use of recycled water doesn’t mean residents are off the hook, and that conservation should remain on everyone’s minds.

Earlier this year, the state Water Resources Control Board awarded Merced a $2.5 million dollar grant to support the move to water meters. The plan would put more than 10,000 meters on the half of the homes in the city that don’t have one. So far, 6,100 water meters have been installed, according to city staff.

To speed up the process, the city hired general contractors to do some of the installation. The meters are expected to all be installed by the end of winter. “We’re hitting it hard,” Councilman Mike Murphy said at the press conference.

Officials said they intend to make the recycled water available to homeowners in the future.

Leah Brown, the city’s water conservation specialist, said the water department continues to push educational efforts and the state’s “turf and toilet” rebate program.

The Public Works office is also giving away a few hundred “warming buckets,” which people can use as they turn on their showers in the morning and wait for the water to warm. The bucket catches the excess water so it can be used for pets or gardens.

For more on that, stop by the office at 1776 Grogan Ave. or call 209-385-6800.

This story was originally published September 29, 2015 at 12:02 PM with the headline "Merced to use recycled water on trees, parks."