Summary of Massachusetts' Water Reuse Guideline or Regulation for Potable Water Reuse

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
• Types of planned potable reuse approved for use in Massachusetts
• Water reuse treatment category/type
• Additional context and definitions
• Potable reuse specifications
• Upcoming state law or policy
• References
• Disclaimer

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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 Massachusetts, potable water reuse potable water reuse The use of highly treated recycled water for drinking water purposes. This reuse application includes both indirect potable reuse through introduction of recycled water into an environmental buffer such as a surface reservoir or groundwater aquifer, and direct potable reuse through introduction of recycled water into a drinking water system. applications include indirect potable reuse (aquifer recharge). The source of water is not specified by the state. 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

Potable water in the United States must meet all applicable Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) requirements, including its implementing regulations (40 C.F.R. § 141) for chemical and microbial contaminants. Massachusetts allows indirect potable reuse (IPR) of reclaimed water for aquifer recharge within a Zone II or an Interim Wellhead Protection Area in accordance with 314 Mass. Code Regs. 5.00 and a groundwater discharge permit issued on a case-by-case basis by the Department of Environmental Protection (314 Mass. Code Regs. 20.00). The technical basis for IPR regulation is not explicitly specified.

Types of planned potable reuse approved for use in Massachusetts

314 Mass. Code Regs. 20.00 defines the following approved planned potable uses:

• Indirect Potable Reuse
  • Aquifer recharge

Water reuse treatment category/type

Massachusetts does not assign reclaimed water used for aquifer recharge to a category or class (314 Mass. Code Regs. 20.00). However, the reclaimed water must meet effluent limits established in the groundwater discharge permit (314 Mass. Code Regs. 5.10). 

Additional context and definitions

Massachusetts defines reclaimed water as “wastewater that is treated so that it is suitable for beneficial reuse” (314 Mass. Code Regs. 5.10). Massachusetts allows the indirect potable reuse of reclaimed water within a Zone II or Interim Wellhead Protection Area. 

• Zone II is defined as “the area of an aquifer that contributes water to a well under the most severe pumping and recharge conditions that can realistically be anticipated (180 days of pumping at approved yield, with no recharge from precipitation)”. Zone II is “bounded by the ground water divides that result from pumping the well and by the contact of the aquifer with less permeable materials such as till or bedrock. In some cases, streams or lakes may act as recharge boundaries. In all cases, the Zone II shall extend upgradient to its point of intersection with prevailing hydrogeologic boundaries (a ground water flow divide, a contact with till or bedrock, or a recharge boundary). The Zone II must include the entire Zone I area. For springs, the Zone II is that area of an aquifer that contributes water to the spring under naturally flowing conditions.” (314 Mass. Code Regs. 20.00). 
• Interim Wellhead Protection Area (IWPA) is defined as “an area established by the Department for public water systems using wells or wellfields that lack a Department approved Zone II. The IWPA is a ½ mile radius measured from the well or wellfield for sources with an approved pumping rate of 100,000 gallons per day or greater. For wells or wellfields that pump less than 100,000 gallons per day the IWPA radius is proportional to the approved pumping rate, which may be calculated according to the follow equation: IWPA radius in feet = (32 x pumping rate in gallons per minute) + 400. A default IWPA radius or an IWPA radius otherwise computed and determined by the Department shall be applied to Transient Non-community Water System (TNC) and Non-transient Non-community Water System (NTNC) wells when there is no metered rate of withdrawal or no approved pumping rate.” (314 Mass. Code Regs. 5.10).

Potable reuse specifications

Massachusetts requires reclaimed water to meet the groundwater discharge permit requirements requirements for discharges within a Zone II or Interim Wellhead Protection Area (314 Mass. Code Regs. 5.10(4A)) and does not have additional treatment requirements for indirect potable reuse. 

Upcoming state law or policy

No upcoming potable reuse regulations were found for Massachusetts.

References:

Ground Water Discharge Permit Program, 314 Mass. Code Regs. 5.00.

National Primary Drinking Water Regulations, 40 C.F.R. § 141.

Reclaimed Water Permit Program and Standards, 314 Mass Code Regs. 20.00.

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Disclaimers

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.