News
Another Homeowner Association Converts to Recycled Water
Vida Pacifica Homeowner Association in Encinitas Now Using Recycled Water for Outdoor Irrigation
The Vida Pacifica Homeowner Association in Encinitas has begun receiving locally produced recycled water from Olivenhain Municipal Water District. Converting to recycled water will allow the HOA to save approximately 9.6 acre-feet of potable water annually, or over 3.1 million gallons. Each acre-foot contains about enough water to cover a football field, one foot deep.
“Supplying recycled water to Vida Pacifica Homeowner Association is an important step in conserving our region’s imported potable water,” said OMWD Board Director Christy Guerin. “Using recycled water in lieu of potable water also has the added economic benefit of lowering the HOA’s water bills as a result of the lower cost of recycled water.”
Vida Pacifica is the second HOA in the Village Park neighborhood of Encinitas to convert to recycled water this year. Village Park has many HOA-maintained areas and schools that have taken advantage of this drought-resistant water supply. To complete the conversion, OMWD removed three potable meters and replaced them with two recycled water meters.
Since 2014, OMWD and San Elijo Joint Powers Authority have worked collectively to bring recycled water to Village Park. San Elijo Water Campus, located in Cardiff-by-the-Sea, uses a combination of sand filtration, microfiltration, and reverse osmosis to produce high-quality water for irrigation and industrial uses. Vida Pacifica’s transition to recycled water is a product of this partnership.
In addition to the Village Park project, OMWD produces up to two million gallons of recycled water daily at its 4S Ranch Water Reclamation Facility. Furthermore, OMWD has developed partnerships with neighboring recycled water providers to serve recycled water to additional portions of its service area. OMWD purchases its potable water supply from San Diego County Water Authority, which is imported from Northern California and the Colorado River and subject to drought and other potential supply interruptions. OMWD pursues a sustainable and renewable approach to its water portfolio by meeting approximately 14 percent of its demands with recycled water.
