Summary of Indiana's Water Reuse Guideline or Regulation for Agriculture
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 waters for this summary are Treated Municipal Wastewater, Stormwater and Industry Process Water.
On this page:
- Technical basis
- Water reuse for agriculture approved for use in Indiana
- Water reuse treatment category for agriculture
- Additional context and definitions
- Water reuse for agriculture 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 Indiana, water reuse for water reuse for agricultureThe use of recycled water for production of both crops for human consumption and non-food crops of commercial value. This reuse application excludes consumption by livestock, onsite non-potable reuse, and landscaping. includes agricultural land used for growing food crops and land that has a high or low potential for public exposure; plant nurseries; turf farms; and agricultural land used for production of a feed crop, fiber crop, trees for harvest or pasture for animals. The sources 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., stormwaterPrecipitation that is collected from land or impervious surfaces at a district or regional scale for the purpose of beneficial reuse. Rainwater collection at the building scale is classified separately under 'onsite collected waters.’ and industry process water Water produced during industrial and manufacturing processes. Other terms referring to this source of water include air handling condensate, boiler, cooling or wash water, and water generated during oil and natural gas extraction.) are specified by the state as domestic wastewater, industrial storm water and industrial process wastewater. The write-up below 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.
Check out how Indiana uses stormwater for landscaping.
Indiana uses stormwater for a variety of applications, including agriculture and landscaping. Browse the landscaping summary page.
Technical basis
Indiana approves the application of domestic wastewater, industrial storm water or industrial process wastewater on agricultural land with both a low and high potential for public exposure (327 Ind. Admin Code 6.1). 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 related to agriculture and are summarized in the table below. 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 agriculture approved for use in Indiana
327 Ind. Admin Code 6.1 defines the following approved water reuse for agriculture, which consists of the irrigation of:
- Agricultural land used for growing food crops (defined as crops grown for human consumption or feed crops for animals whose products are consumed by humans; these crops include fruits, vegetables, grains and tobacco) and that is open to the public for any period of time or not open to the public (land with a high potential for public exposure; land with a low potential for public exposure)
- Plant nurseries (land with a high potential for public exposure)
- Turf farms (land with a high potential for public exposure)
- Agricultural land used for production of a feed crop (defined as crops produced primarily for consumption by animals) (land with a low potential for public exposure)
- Agricultural land used for production of a fiber crop (defined as crops produced primarily for fiber, such as flax and cotton) (land with a low potential for public exposure)
- Agricultural land used for production of trees for harvest, including Christmas tree farms (land with a high potential for public exposure; land with a low potential for public exposure)
- Agricultural land used as pasture for animals (defined as land on which animals feed directly on vegetation, such as legumes, grasses, grain stubble or stover) (land with a low potential for public exposure)
Water reuse treatment category for agriculture
The treatment requirements for land application of domestic wastewater, industrial storm water or industrial process wastewater are briefly summarized regarding water reuse for agriculture in areas with both low potential for public exposure and high potential for public exposure:
- Domestic wastewater, industrial storm water or industrial process wastewater must undergo secondary treatment and any additional treatment (which may include disinfection) necessary to produce effluent that meets all treatment requirements and performance standards that have been established for areas with high potential for public exposure (327 Ind. Admin Code 6.1). In areas with low potential for public exposure, only secondary treatment is required (327 Ind. Admin Code 6.1). These treatment requirements and performance standards vary for areas with low potential for public exposure and high potential for public exposure, respectively (327 Ind. Admin Code 6.1).
- Treatment processes must include: activated sludge processes; trickling filters; rotating biological contactors; stabilization pond systems; or other secondary treatment approved by the commissioner in the permit.
- For domestic wastewater, disinfection can include: chlorination; ozonation; chemical disinfectants; UV irradiation; membrane processes; or other processes approved by the commissioner in the permit.
Additional context and definitions
Industrial process wastewater is defined as liquid waste that is generated by industrial or commercial facilities, does not contain domestic sewage and contains less than one percent total solids (327 Ind. Admin. Code 6-1). Examples of industrial process wastewater include wash water from egg breaking and washing facilities, butchering operations and pharmaceutical processes.
“Land with a high potential for public exposure” is defined as land that does not have restricted access, is easily accessible to the public or is used by the public during normal work or recreational activities (327 Ind. Admin Code 6.1).
“Land with a low potential for public exposure” is defined as land that has restricted access, is inaccessible to the public or is not used by the public during normal work or recreational activities. Indiana requires that public access to land with a low potential for public exposure be restricted for 30 days after land application of domestic wastewater to that land (327 Ind. Admin. Code 6-1).
Indiana requires that food crops not be harvested for 14 months after land application of domestic wastewater, if the harvested part touches the ground where the wastewater has been land applied and has no harvested parts below the soil surface (327 Ind. Admin Code 6.1). Indiana requires that food crops not be harvested for 38 months after land application of domestic wastewater, if harvested parts are below the soil surface (327 Ind. Admin Code 6.1). If none of the above requirements apply, feed, food and fiber crops should not be harvested for 30 days after land application of domestic wastewater (327 Ind. Admin Code 6.1).
Indiana requires that animals not graze on land that has received domestic wastewater for 30 days after land application of domestic wastewater to that land (327 Ind. Admin. Code 6-1).
Land application rates are determined by the use of the site (e.g., row crop, grass, hay, etc.), the nitrogen need of the crop or grass growing on the site and the nitrogen content of the pollutant-bearing water. Specific formulas are provided for calculating plant available nitrogen to determine application rates (327 Ind. Admin Code 6.1).
The use of specific pipes for the distribution of domestic wastewater for application on agricultural land as well as associated signage is not required.
Water reuse for agriculture specifications
Summary of Indiana's Water Reuse for Agriculture 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)* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Agricultural irrigation on land with a high potential for public exposure (Application on agricultural land used for growing food crops (defined as crops grown for human consumption or feed crops for animals whose products are consumed by humans; these crops include fruits, vegetables, grains and tobacco) and that is open to the public for any period of time, tree farms, plant nurseries and turf farms) |
Domestic wastewater, Industrial storm water, Industrial process wastewater |
Biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) |
≤10 mg/L |
Weekly monitoring (at a minimum) using the 5-day BOD test |
|
Total suspended solids (TSS) |
≤5 mg/L (averaged over a 24-hour period prior to disinfection) |
For domestic wastewater, daily monitoring. |
||
|
pH |
6–9 |
Weekly monitoring (at a minimum) |
||
| Fecal coliform |
0 organisms/100 mL (if using the median) ≤14 organisms/100 mL (single sample maximum) |
Daily monitoring required; Analysis must be completed using either membrane filter technique or fermentation tube technique. |
||
|
Total chlorine residual |
≥1 mg/L (after a minimum contact time of 30 minutes) |
For domestic wastewater, residual chlorine must be monitored daily. Note: this specification is only required if chlorine is used for disinfection. |
||
|
Arsenic |
0.07 mg/L (not to exceed) |
Annual monitoring (at a minimum) |
||
|
Cadmium |
0.06 mg/L (not to exceed) |
|||
|
Copper |
2.57 mg/L (not to exceed) |
|||
|
Lead |
0.51 mg/L (not to exceed) |
|||
|
Mercury |
0.02 mg/L (not to exceed) |
|||
|
Molybdenum |
0.06 mg/L (not to exceed) |
|||
|
Nickel |
0.72 mg/L (not to exceed) |
|||
|
Selenium |
0.17 mg/L (not to exceed) |
|||
|
Zinc |
4.80 mg/L (not to exceed) |
|||
|
Total Nitrogen |
Specific value not provided |
Monthly monitoring (at a minimum) |
||
|
Ammonia Nitrogen |
Specific value not provided |
|||
|
Nitrate Nitrogen |
Specific value not provided |
|||
|
Total Phosphorus |
Specific value not provided |
|||
|
Potassium |
Specific value not provided |
|||
|
Polychlorinated biphenyls |
Specific value not provided |
Annual monitoring (at a minimum) |
||
|
Agricultural irrigation on land with a low potential for public exposure (Application on agricultural land used for growing food crops; Application to agricultural land used for production of a feed crop, fiber crop, trees for harvest and pasture for animals) |
Domestic wastewater |
Biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) |
≤30 mg/L |
Weekly monitoring (at a minimum) using the 5-day BOD test |
|
Total suspended solids (TSS) |
≤30 mg/L |
Weekly monitoring (at a minimum) |
||
|
pH |
6–9 |
Weekly monitoring (at a minimum) |
||
|
Fecal coliform |
≤200 organisms/100 mL (if using the median) ≤800 organisms/100 mL (single sample maximum) |
Daily monitoring required; Analysis must be completed using either membrane filter technique or fermentation tube technique. |
||
|
Total chlorine residual |
≥1 mg/L (after a minimum contact time of 30 minutes) |
For domestic wastewater, residual chlorine must be monitored daily. Note: this specification is only required if chlorine is used for disinfection. |
||
|
Total Nitrogen |
Specific value not provided |
Monthly monitoring (at a minimum) |
||
|
Ammonia Nitrogen |
Specific value not provided |
|||
|
Nitrate Nitrogen |
Specific value not provided |
|||
|
Total Phosphorus |
Specific value not provided |
|||
|
Potassium |
Specific value not provided |
|||
|
Polychlorinated biphenyls |
<2 mg/kg (dry weight) |
Annual monitoring (at a minimum) |
||
|
Agricultural irrigation on land with a low potential for public exposure (Application on agricultural land used for growing food crops; Application to agricultural land used for production of a feed crop, fiber crop, trees for harvest and pasture for animals) |
Industrial storm water, Industrial process wastewater |
pH |
6–9 |
Weekly monitoring (at a minimum) |
|
BOD |
Specific value not provided |
Weekly monitoring (at a minimum) using the 5-day BOD test |
||
|
Volatile solids |
Specific value not provided |
Weekly monitoring (at a minimum) according to methodology provided in APHA 1992. |
||
|
Arsenic |
0.07 mg/L (not to exceed) |
Annual monitoring (at a minimum) |
||
|
Cadmium |
0.06 mg/L (not to exceed) |
|||
|
Copper |
2.57 mg/L (not to exceed) |
|||
|
Lead |
0.51 mg/L (not to exceed) |
|||
|
Mercury |
0.02 mg/L (not to exceed) |
|||
|
Molybdenum |
0.06 mg/L (not to exceed) |
|||
|
Nickel |
0.72 mg/L (not to exceed) |
|||
|
Selenium |
0.17 mg/L (not to exceed) |
|||
|
Zinc |
4.80 mg/L (not to exceed) |
|||
|
Total Nitrogen |
Specific value not provided |
|||
|
Ammonia Nitrogen |
Specific value not provided |
Monthly monitoring (at a minimum) |
||
|
Nitrate Nitrogen |
Specific value not provided |
|||
|
Phosphorus |
Specific value not provided |
|||
|
Potassium |
Specific value not provided |
|||
|
Polychlorinated biphenyls |
<2 mg/kg (dry weight) |
Annual monitoring (at a minimum) |
Source= 327 Ind. Admin Code 6.1
* 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.
Upcoming state law or policy
No upcoming regulations pertaining to water reuse for agriculture were found for Indiana.
References
American Public Health Association (APHA). 1992. Standard Methods: For the Examination of Water and Wastewater, Part 2540G. 18th Edition.
Clean Water Act, 33 U.S.C. §§ 1251 et seq.
Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), 124 Stat. 3885.
Land Application of Biosolid, Industrial Waste Product, and Pollutant-Bearing Water, 327 Ind. Admin Code 6.1.
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.