Recycling Treated Municipal Wastewater for Industrial Water Use

Section 2
Implementation Considerations
Craddock Consulting Engineers 2-7
In Association with CDM & James Crook
TM1-Sec2_0707.doc
Regulatory Requirements for Nonpotable Uses of Reclaimed Water
In the past, most state water reuse regulations were developed in response to a need to
regulate a growing number of water reuse projects in the particular state. Recently,
some states that currently have few reuse projects have taken a proactive approach and
have adopted criteria, which tend to encourage implementation of projects. Arizona,
California, Florida, and Texas, which have had comprehensive criteria for a number of
years, have revised their water reuse regulations within the last ten years to reflect
additional reclaimed water uses, advances in wastewater treatment technology, and
increased knowledge in the areas of microbiology and public health protection.
State water reuse regulations typically include one or more of the following elements:
Treatment Process Requirements
Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD)/Total Suspended Solids (TSS), and Turbidity
Requirements
Coliform Bacteria Limits
Limits and Monitoring for Pathogenic Organisms
Disinfection Requirements
Treatment Reliability
Storage Requirements
Cross Connection Control
Irrigation-Specific Requirements
Appendix B defines these regulatory requirements and provides state-specific examples.
State regulations for indirect potable reuse are also summarized in Appendix B.
The variations and inconsistencies among state regulations are illustrated in Table 2.4,
which includes examples of several states’ reclaimed water standards for uses ranging
from fodder crop irrigation to toilet and urinal flushing in buildings.