AWWA REUSE52123

Water reuse was recognized as an integral component in meeting the water demands of the South Truckee Meadows region which is located south of Reno, Nevada. Washoe County has utilized a variety of financing alternatives to implement the reuse program starting in 1984 with the completion and adoption of the South Truckee Meadows Water and Wastewater Facility and Management Plan through the recently completed $13.1 million effluent reuse system. Financing alternatives included special assessment district (SAD) bonds, revenue bonds, developer agreements, connection fee charges, user fees and general fund advances. The initial reuse infrastructure was constructed and placed in service in 1991. It supplied water to spray irrigate 350 acres of alfalfa fields at no cost to the farmer. The initial facilities cost $25.4 million and were financed with combination of special assessment and general obligation revenue backed bonds. The first phase of the reuse facilities consisted of 1.5 million gallon per day--expandable to 6.0 million gallons per day--an oxidation ditch treatment plant, 4,300 acre foot open surface storage reservoir, 22,120 feet of 24-inch force main to an existing 12,000,000 gallon storage lagoon and a 350-acre alfalfa wheel line spray irrigation site. This paper presents the financing processes used and the resulting fees charged to establish the initial and subsequent effluent water reuse system within the South Truckee Meadows region. Includes 4 references, table, figure.