Bill to encourage water conservation, reuse approved by Senate

The state Senate this week advanced legislation that would encourage water districts and municipalities to expand the state’s supply of water through reuse and conservation.

Senate Bill 1187, authored by Sen. Rob Standridge, establishes state policy to facilitate water reuse projects, and establishes permitting requirements.

“Conservation and reuse can help us make more efficient use of one of our most important natural resources,” said Standridge, R-Norman. “Projects like this will also enable important upgrades to our water infrastructure and expand our supply of safe, local water. This will allow for continued growth and development for our regional economies, and help secure our water needs for future generations.”

Standridge noted the bill does not mandate reuse, but instead enables water districts to undertake projects more efficiently. Approved unanimously by the Senate, the bill now advances to the House for consideration.

“Water infrastructure and supply is a critical quality of life issue that should concern us all,” Standridge said. “I’m grateful to my colleagues for joining in support of a proposal that will help us increase our water supply and encourage conservation.”