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83rd OREGON LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY--2025 Regular Session
A-Engrossed
House Bill 2169
Ordered by the House March 21
Including House Amendments dated March 21
Introduced and printed pursuant to House Rule 12.00. Presession filed (at the request of House Interim Committee
on Agriculture, Land Use, Natural Resources, and Water for Representatives Ken Helm, Mark Owens)
SUMMARY
The following summary is not prepared by the sponsors of the measure and is not a part of the body thereof subject
to consideration by the Legislative Assembly. It is an editor’s brief statement of the essential features of the
measure. The statement includes a measure digest written in compliance with applicable readability standards.
Digest: This Act sets state policy on water reuse and tells DEQ to make a water reuse
team. (Flesch Readability Score: 85.1).
[Digest: This Act sets a state policy on water reuse and tells DEQ and OWRD to make a water
reuse team. (Flesch Readability Score: 85.0).]
Establishes state policy on water reuse. Directs the Department of Environmental Quality [and
the Water Resources Department] to establish an interagency water reuse [development] team.
[Takes effect on the 91st day following adjournment sine die.]
Declares an emergency, effective July 1, 2025.
A BILL FOR AN ACT
Relating to water reuse; and declaring an emergency.
Be It Enacted by the People of the State of Oregon:
SECTION 1. (1) The Legislative Assembly finds and declares that it is the policy of this
state to encourage water reuse and to expand opportunities for water reuse in this state in
a manner that protects public health and the environment.
(2) The Legislative Assembly finds and declares that it is the policy of this state that
agencies of state government, as defined in ORS 174.111, work together to encourage and
expand opportunities for water reuse by overcoming institutional and regulatory barriers and
funding constraints and improving policies and internal operations related to water reuse.
SECTION 2. (1) The Department of Environmental Quality shall establish and lead an
interagency water reuse team. The Water Resources Department, the Oregon Health Au-
thority, the State Department of Agriculture and the State Department of Fish and Wildlife
shall participate in the water reuse team. Other agencies of state government, as defined in
ORS 174.111, shall participate in the water reuse team as requested by the Department of
Environmental Quality. The Department of Environmental Quality may enter into intera-
gency agreements to support the participation of other agencies of state government in the
water reuse team.
(2) The Department of Environmental Quality, with support from the water reuse team
where appropriate, and in consultation with municipal wastewater utilities, industry
stakeholders and other interested parties, shall:
(a) Provide training and education to state agency staff, potential reuse project appli-
cants and the public on the benefits and drivers of water reuse projects and the state policy
to encourage and expand opportunities for water reuse in a manner that protects public
NOTE:Matter in boldfaced type in an amended section is new; matter [italic and bracketed] is existing law to be omitted.
New sections are in boldfaced type.
LC 3333 A-Eng. HB 2169
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health and the environment;
(b) Identify and work toward resolution of, with respect to the development of water re-
use projects, internal barriers within agencies, information needs within agencies and con-
flicts between agencies, to better enable state agencies to encourage and support expanded
water reuse in this state;
(c) Evaluate environmentally protective approaches that have been successfully employed
by other state water reuse programs and that may be appropriate for water reuse in this
state;
(d) Identify and propose regulatory changes needed to overcome barriers to water reuse
in a manner that protects public health and the environment, including, but not limited to,
changes to state agency policies and internal guidance, administrative rules and state stat-
utes;
(e) Work to improve interagency collaboration and resolve conflicts, consistent with each
agency’s designated role and responsibilities, to encourage water reuse projects in a manner
that protects public health and the environment;
(f) Ensure that information and agency contacts regarding water reuse are current and
accessible to the public;
(g) Promote consistent and timely responsiveness to requests for information from the
public or other government agencies regarding water reuse;
(h) Develop technical assistance guidance, or other resources, for local governments, in-
dustries and nongovernmental organizations seeking permitting and the development of wa-
ter reuse programs; and
(i) Establish goals and performance metrics on water reuse development in this state.
SECTION 3. No later than December 15 of each odd-numbered year, the Department of
Environmental Quality, in coordination with the interagency water reuse team established
under section 2 of this 2025 Act, shall submit a report in the manner provided by ORS 192.245
to the interim committees of the Legislative Assembly related to the environment. The re-
port must describe the progress made toward achieving the water reuse development goals
established under section 2 (2)(i) of this 2025 Act.
SECTION 4.Section 3 of this 2025 Act is repealed on January 2, 2032.
SECTION 5.This 2025 Act being necessary for the immediate preservation of the public
peace, health and safety, an emergency is declared to exist, and this 2025 Act takes effect
July 1, 2025.
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