Ukiah, California

Small-city purple-pipe reuse + school/park irrigation

Problem

Aging water infrastructure, drought, and pollution threaten rural water security. Linear "use and dump" systems waste a precious resource.

Solution

The City of Ukiah completed Phases 1-3 of its recycled water system in September 2019 (about 8 miles of pipe, a 66 million gallon reservoir, tertiary Title 22 treatment, $34 million from the State Water Resources Control Board) and produces about 1,000 acre-feet a year for roughly 700 acres of farms, Oak Manor Elementary, parks and the sports complex. A $53.77 million state grant signed January 10, 2023 funds Phase 4, raising capacity to 1,500 acre-feet a year for west-side parks, schools, the cemetery and the golf course; the city targeted fall 2024 and now reports completion in fall 2025. The city celebrated one billion gallons recycled in October 2023 and has supplied early customers at no charge.

Patterns used: Circular Water Systems

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