Article 6. Applications By Governmental Agencies Discharging Disposal Water of California Water Code >> Division 2. >> Part 2. >> Chapter 7. >> Article 6.

Any municipality, governmental agency, or political subdivision operating waste disposal plants producing disposal water meeting the requirements of the appropriate regional board, and disposing of said water in the San Joaquin River may file an application for a permit to appropriate an equal amount of water, less diminution by seepage, evaporation, transpiration or other natural causes between the point of discharge and the point of recovery, downstream from said disposal plant and out of the San Joaquin River or the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. A permit to appropriate such amount of water may be granted by the board upon such terms and conditions as in the board's judgment are necessary for the protection of the rights of others. Water so appropriated may be sold or utilized for any beneficial purpose. The right to the use of water granted by this section shall not include water flowing in underground streams. The Legislature finds and declares that the problems incident to the full utilization of the waters of the San Joaquin River and the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta into which it flows, are unique and that a general law cannot be made applicable thereto.

(a) The Sacramento Regional County Sanitation District, and any successor thereto, with respect to treated wastewater produced by the sanitation district that meets the requirements of the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board, as may be amended or modified, and that is discharged into the Sacramento River, may file an application for a permit to appropriate an amount of water up to the amount of treated wastewater that is discharged into the Sacramento River, less diminution by seepage, evaporation, transportation, or other natural causes between the point of discharge from its wastewater treatment plant and the point of diversion out of the Sacramento River or the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.
  (b) Upon application for a permit to appropriate water pursuant to subdivision (a), the board may grant the permit subject to the terms and conditions as in the board's judgment are necessary for the protection of the rights of any legal user of the water.
  (c) Prior to the board granting a permit under subdivision (b), the board shall comply with the provisions of this part, and other applicable law, and may impose terms and conditions authorized thereunder.
  (d) Water appropriated in accordance with this section may be sold or utilized for any beneficial purpose.