Decentralized Water Policy Council

2014 - Present

OAEC’s newest policy initiative to localize California’s waters, the Decentralized Water Policy Council (DWPC), is designed to support the commitment and urgency for a change in water regulation rules acknowledged by Californians across disciplines and roles. Initiated by California County Regulators, the Council will increase our ability to reuse and conserve our water in commercial and residential settings.

OAEC is partnering with the California Onsite Wastewater Association to convene the DWPC, a collaboration of multiple stakeholders from around California to update State and County policy. Legalizing right action that allows and encourages people to protect water is one of OAEC’s strategies for change.

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Why Water Reuse Matters

Adopting modern and ecological water reuse technologies has the potential to save up to 14 million-acre feet, 35% of current annual water use in California, the equivalent of the water used by all of California’s cities. This reduction in demand for new water would dramatically reduce the amount of energy used and thus also reduces the greenhouse gases (GHGs) emitted by California’s water-energy nexus.

Council Action Plan

Council members are working together to create an Action Plan with recommendations for policy change at the state, county and municipal level. Working groups are creating chapters on:

Blackwater
Composting Toilets
Greywater
Rain and Stormwater
Ground and Surface water

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