Summary of New Jersey's Water Reuse Guideline or Regulation for Industry
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 industrial applications approved for use in New Jersey
- Water reuse treatment category for industrial applications
- Additional context and definitions
- Water reuse for industrial applications 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 New Jersey, water reuse for industryThe use of recycled water for industrial applications, often created at the industrial facility. This includes recycled water generated through onsite processes such as boiler water, cooling water, manufacturing water, and oil and gas production, as well as recycled water generated offsite and imported elsewhere for industrial reuse applications. includes reuse for certain cooling purposes, washing and cleaning, equipment operation and other manufacturing processes. The source of water treated municipal wastewaterTreated 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 on this page 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
New Jersey approves the beneficial use of reclaimed water for industrial applications including, but not limited to, cooling water and washing operations (NJDEP, 2005). New Jersey refers to this approach as “reclaimed water for beneficial reuse” (RWBR). RWBR programs must be authorized by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) under a New Jersey Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NJPDES) permit (NJDEP 2005). 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 state water quality standards. Restrictions on public access are not specified for Type IV RWBR Industrial Systems, Maintenance Operations and Construction. Treatment requirements and performance standards are applied for the removal of microbial contaminants, chemicals and other relevant indicators 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 industrial applications approved for use in New Jersey
NJDEP (2005) provides a general category of industrial applications of reclaimed water for beneficial reuse (RWBR), including in closed loop systems. The following reuse applications are approved, in addition to other industrial applications not specified in the regulation (NJDEP, 2005):
- Non-contact cooling water (Type IV RWBR)
- Water for cooling equipment (Type IV RWBR)
- Parts washing and cleaning (Type IV RWBR)
- Equipment operation (Type IV RWBR)
- Other manufacturing processes (Type IV RWBR)
Water reuse treatment category for industrial applications
The various classes of reclaimed water treatment are defined by their respective treatment requirements and applicable performance standards.
For Type IV RWBR, the uniqueness of each industrial application prevents the establishment of specific treatment standards and all instances of reuse are reviewed by DEP on a case-by-case basis. Prior to implementation, NJDEP (2005) requires that all industrial reuse systems undergo a case-by-case review. “Some applications, such as the reuse of effluent for non-contact cooling water, may require very little, if any changes to the level of treatment the wastewater is already receiving at the wastewater treatment plant” (NJDEP, 2005).
Additional context and definitions
In New Jersey, reclaimed water for beneficial reuse is defined as “taking what was once considered a waste product, giving it a specialized level of treatment and using the resulting high-quality reclaimed water for beneficial uses” (NJDEP, 2005).
NJDPEP (2005) requires that worker contact with Type IV RWBR be limited to individuals who have received specialized training to deal with these RWBR systems. Additional requirements are dependent on the reuse application (NJDPEP, 2005).
The use of purple as the color of the signs is encouraged but not required. No cross connections between RWBR delivery pipes and potable water systems are allowed and RWBR delivery pipes cannot be connected into “any stormwater conveyance or pipe that is not the final delivery point prior to final use” (NJDEP, 2005).
Water reuse for industrial applications specifications
Summary of New Jersey's Water Reuse for Industrial Applications Reuse 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)* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Type IV Industrial Systems, Maintenance Operations and Construction RWBR (Cooling water for cooling equipment; parts washing and cleaning; equipment operation; other manufacturing processes) |
Municipal wastewater |
Not specifieda |
Not specified |
Not specified |
Source = NJDEP (2005)
* 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 Water quality parameters and specifications/levels are provided in each permit. These permit levels must be met. A Standard Operations Procedure that ensures proper materials handling, a user/supplier agreement and annual usage report are also required (NJDEP, 2005).
Upcoming state law or policy
No upcoming regulations related to water reuse for industry were found for New Jersey.
References
Clean Water Act, 33 U.S.C. §§ 1251 et seq.
New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Water Quality, Bureau of Surface Water Permitting. 2005. Technical Manual for Reclaimed Water for Beneficial Reuse.
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.