Since the late 1970s, EID has maintained separate irrigation and reclamation distribution systems in El Dorado Hills. Initially the system provided secondary-treated recycled water to the El Dorado Hills Executive Golf Course and the Wetsel-Oviatt construction yard.

In late 1989, EID reached an agreement with the Serrano Partners to develop a recycled water system from the Deer Creek wastewater treatment plant.

Since that time, EID has upgraded the El Dorado Hills wastewater treatment plant to produce disinfected tertiary recycled water for unrestricted use. The recycled water is continuously monitored to meet or exceed state standards.

In 2004, the EID Board of Directors mandated the use of recycled water for all new subdivisions and developments in the recycled water service area.

Currently, the two plants produce more than 1 billion gallons of recycled water each year for almost 4000 customers and businesses in the El Dorado Hills community.

The California Water Code (§§ 13550 – 13556) declares that the use of drinking water for landscape irrigation is a “waste or an unreasonable use of water.” EID’s recycled water program utilizes recycled water to save a lot of that drinking water.