Oregon Water Resources Department (WRD) records contain water rights dating back to the early 1960’s authorizing the land application of treated municipal and industrial wastewater. Beginning in the mid-1970s, municipalities were faced with increased pressure to either stop discharging treated wastewater into streams or treat the wastewater to a much higher quality before discharged.
In 1991, an easier “registration” process was established, allowing the reuse of treated municipal wastewater without obtaining a formal water use permit from WRD. Since 1991, water reuse has increased and more than 100 Municipal Reclaimed Water Registrations have been filed with the Department.