Summary of Alabama's Water Reuse Guideline or Regulation for Landscaping
This page is part of the EPA’s REUSExplorer tool, which summarizes the different state level regulations or guidelines for water reuse for a variety of sources and end-uses.
The source water for this summary is Treated Municipal Wastewater.
On this page:
- Technical basis
- Water reuse for landscaping approved for use in Alabama
- Water reuse treatment category for landscaping
- Additional context and definitions
- Landscaping reuse specifications (table)
- Upcoming state law or policy
- References
- Disclaimer
This page is a summary of the state’s water reuse law or policy and is provided for informational purposes only. Please always refer to the state for the most accurate and updated information.
In Alabama, water reuse for include land application on parks, ball fields, playgrounds and school yards during periods of non-use; land application on residential landscapes and commercial campuses; and land application on golf courses, highway medians and roadside vegetation and cemeteries during periods of non-use. The source of water treated municipal wastewater Treated wastewater effluent discharged from a centralized wastewater treatment plant of any size. Other terms referring to this source of water include domestic wastewater, treated wastewater effluent, reclaimed water, and treated sewage. is specified by the state as municipal wastewater. The write-up uses state terms when discussing sources or uses of water that may differ from the Regulations and End-Use Specifications Explorer's (REUSExplorer's) terms.
Technical basis
Alabama approves the use of reclaimed wastewater for landscape irrigation. Specific applications vary based on whether or not irrigation will occur during periods of use. All applicable provisions of the Clean Water Act (CWA) (33 U.S.C. §§ 1251 et seq.), including its implementing regulations, must be met in addition to any relevant rule requirements under the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) (124 Stat. 3885). Treatment requirements and performance standards are applied for the removal of microbial contaminants, chemicals and other relevant indicators for water reuse for landscaping and are summarized in the table. The technical basis for developing the specifications and/or removals of microbial contaminants, chemicals and other relevant indicators is not explicitly specified.
Water reuse for landscaping approved for use in Alabama
Ala. Admin. Code r. 335-6-20-10 defines the following approved water reuse for landscaping:
- Land application on parks, ball fields, playgrounds and school yards during periods of non-use (Class A)
- Land application on residential landscapes and commercial campuses (Class A)
- Land application on golf courses, highway medians and roadside vegetation and cemeteries during periods of non-use (Class B)
Water reuse treatment category for landscaping
In Alabama, reclaimed water is defined as “wastewater that has received treatment which meets the criteria specified in this chapter” by the Department of Environmental Management (Ala. Admin. Code r. 335-6). The Class A and Class B requirements apply to the reuse of reclaimed water for landscape irrigation.
The various classes of reclaimed water treatment are defined by their respective treatment requirements and applicable performance standards. The respective requirements are briefly summarized for landscape irrigation reuse applications.
- For Class A reclaimed water, the treatment requirements are secondary treatment with additional treatment including, at a minimum, coagulation, clarification, filtration and disinfection, or an alternate process acceptable to the Department of Environmental Management. Chlorine is the preferred primary disinfectant, but other acceptable primary disinfectants include chlorine dioxide, UV light, ozone or an equivalent process acceptable to the Department of Environmental Management. Facilities utilizing another disinfectant other than chlorine must add a disinfectant to maintain disinfectant residuals in the distribution system such that the minimum chlorine requirements are met.
- For Class B reclaimed water, the treatment requirements are secondary treatment with, at a minimum, disinfection. Chlorine is the preferred primary disinfectant, but other acceptable primary disinfectants include chlorine dioxide, UV light, ozone or an equivalent process acceptable to the Department of Environmental Management. Facilities utilizing a disinfectant other than chlorine must add a disinfectant to maintain residuals in the distribution system such that the minimum chlorine requirements are met.
Additional context and definitions
Alabama requires that the public and personnel in the general area of reclaimed water reuse are notified that the water is reclaimed water and is not safe for drinking or human contact (Ala. Admin. Code r. 335-6-20-.13). Signage must be posted stating “Caution: Reclaimed Water - Do Not Drink” (or equivalent signage) in English and Spanish (or other language based on local dialect). Alabama requires that all new or replaced buried pipe conveying Reclaimed Water, including service lines, valves and other appurtenances, must be colored purple and the precise color used (e.g., Pantone 512, 522 or equivalent) must be consistently used throughout the system to ensure the pipes are adequately identifiable and distinguishable (Ala. Admin. Code r. 335-6-20-.13). Alabama also provides specific requirements for the use of identification tape, if installed with the purple pipes (Ala. Admin. Code r. 335-6-20-.13). Non-purple pipe purchased or under contract prior to the promulgation of Alabama’s reclaimed water reuse program regulations must have identification tape or locating wire along the pipe (Ala. Admin. Code r. 335-6-20.13).
Drinking fountains, picnic tables, food establishments and other public eating facilities must be placed out of any areas where reclaimed water will be used for landscape applications involving spray irrigation so as to protect the public from contact with the reclaimed water (Ala. Admin. Code r. 335-6-20-.13). Alabama requires the establishment of buffer distances from reclaimed water spray irrigation systems and pipelines to protect public health and waters of the state (Ala. Admin. Code r. 335-6-20-.14). Alabama defines the minimum distance of Class A reclaimed water to a property boundary be zero feet, with aerosol formation minimized to fifty feet (Ala. Admin. Code r. 335-6-20-.14).
Water reuse for landscaping specifications
Summary of Alabama's Water Reuse for Landscaping Specifications
|
Recycled Water Class/Category (Approved Uses) |
Source Water Type | Water Quality Parameter | Specification | Sampling/Monitoring Requirements (Frequency of monitoring; site/ location of sample; quantification methods)* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Class A reclaimed water (land application on parks, ballfields, playgrounds and school yards during periods of non-use; land application on residential landscapes and commercial campuses) |
Municipal wastewater |
Chlorine |
≥1.0 mg/L entering distribution system ≥0.5 mg/L chlorine residual in the distribution system prior to transfer to storage ponds and/or distribution to customers |
Total residual chlorine monitored daily after chlorination and upon entry to the distribution system. Monitoring in the distribution system conducted monthly unless an alternate frequency is approved or required by the Department of Environmental Management. Monitoring should occur at locations throughout the distribution system. |
|
E. coli |
≤18 organisms/100 mL (median from last 7 days of results) ≤34 organisms/100 mL (single sample maximum) |
Daily (unless an alternate frequency has been approved by the Department of Environmental Management) |
||
|
Turbidity |
≤3 NTU (at any time point) |
Measured continuously for all Class A reclaimed water on filtered water prior to disinfection. |
||
|
Nitrate + Nitrites |
≤10 mg/L (30-day average) |
Weekly (using composite samples); Frequency of sampling may be increased if deemed necessary by the Department of Environmental Management |
||
|
pH |
≥6.0 ≤8.5 |
Daily as grab samples or continuous monitoring |
||
|
CBOD5a |
≤10 mg/L (30-day average) |
Weekly (using composite samples); frequency of sampling may be increased if deemed necessary by the Department of Environmental Management |
||
|
Total Nitrogen |
Not specified |
Monitored weekly using composite samples |
||
|
Total Phosphorus |
Not specified |
Monitored weekly using composite samples |
||
|
Class B reclaimed water (land application on golf courses, highway medians and cemeteries during periods of non-use) |
Municipal wastewater |
Chlorine |
≥1.0 mg/L entering distribution system ≥0.5 mg/L chlorine residual in the distribution system prior to transfer to storage ponds and/or distribution to customers |
Total residual chlorine monitored daily after chlorination and upon entry to the distribution system. Monitoring in the distribution system conducted monthly unless an alternate frequency is approved or required by the Department of Environmental Management. Monitoring should occur at locations throughout the distribution system. |
|
E. coli |
≤18 organisms/100 mL (median from last 7 days of results) ≤34 organisms/100 mL (single sample maximum) |
Daily (unless an alternate frequency has been approved by the Department of Environmental Management) |
||
|
Total Suspended Solids (TSS) |
≤30 (30-day average) |
Weekly (using composite samples); frequency of sampling may be increased if deemed necessary by the Department of Environmental Management |
||
|
Nitrate + Nitrites |
≤10 mg/L (30-day average) |
Weekly (using composite samples); Frequency of sampling may be increased if deemed necessary by the Department of Environmental Management |
||
|
pH |
≥6.0 ≤8.5 |
Daily as grab samples or continuous monitoring |
||
|
5-day carbonaceous biochemical oxygen demand (CBOD5)a |
≤10 mg/L (30-day average) |
Weekly (using composite samples); frequency of sampling may be increased if deemed necessary by the Department of Environmental Management |
||
|
Total Nitrogen |
Not specified |
Monitored weekly using composite samples |
||
|
Total Phosphorus |
Not specified |
Monitored weekly using composite samples |
Source= Admin. Code r. 335-6-20
* Information about sampling and monitoring requirements such as frequency, site and quantification methods not specifically listed in the table was not explicitly specified in the State-specific regulations.
a Carbonaceous Biochemical Oxygen Demand that has been run for 5 days.
Upcoming state law or policy
No upcoming regulations pertaining to water reuse for landscaping were found for Alabama.
References
Access, Exposure, and Signage, Ala. Admin. Code r. 335-6-20-.13.
Buffer Distances, Ala. Admin. Code r. 335-6-20-.14.
Clean Water Act, 33 U.S.C. §§ 1251 et seq.
Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), 124 Stat. 3885.
Municipal Reclaimed Water Uses, Ala. Admin. Code r. 335-6-20-.10.
Reclaimed Water Reuse Program, Ala. Admin. Code r. 335-6-20.
Water Division – Water Quality Program, Ala. Admin. Code r. 335-6.
Please contact us at waterreuse@epa.gov if the information on this page needs updating or if this state is updating or planning to update its laws and policies and we have not included that information on the news page.