Summary of Oklahoma's Water Reuse Guideline or Regulation for Consumption by Livestock
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 consumption by livestock approved for use in Oklahoma
- Water reuse treatment category for consumption by livestock
- Additional context and definitions
- Water reuse for consumption by livestock 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 Oklahoma, water reuse for water reuse for consumption by livestock The use of recycled water for livestock drinking water supplies. Excludes physical application of reclaimed water to pasture for milking and non-milking animals, forage crops used as animal feed, and land used for livestock grazing. applications include range cattle watering. 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 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.
Technical basis
Oklahoma approves the use of reclaimed water for “range cattle watering” (Okla. Admin. Code § 252:656). Treatment requirements and performance standards are applied for the removal of pathogens (i.e., adenovirus, Salmonella typhimurium and Giardia lamblia) and/or pathogen indicators (i.e., fecal coliforms) and chemical contaminants for Category 2 reclaimed water used for reuse applications related to consumption by livestock. 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. Treatment requirements and performance standards are applied for the removal of microbial contaminants, chemicals and other relevant indicators related to consumption by livestock and are summarized in the table. The technical basis for developing the specifications and/or removals of microbial contaminants, chemicals and other relevant indicators was the product of a workgroup including regulatory agencies, local consultants and national water reuse experts (Oklahoma DEQ, personal communication, May 31, 2022).
Water reuse for consumption by livestock approved for use in Oklahoma
Okla. Admin. Code § 252:656 defines the following approved reuse applications related to consumption by livestock:
- Range cattle watering (Category 2)
Water reuse treatment category for consumption by livestock
Oklahoma defines reclaimed water as “wastewater that has gone through the various treatment processes to meet specific water quality criteria with the intent of being used in a beneficial manner” (Okla. Admin. Code § 252:656). The various classes of treatment are defined by their respective treatment requirements and applicable performance standards. The respective treatment requirements for consumption by livestock are briefly summarized:
- For Category 2 reclaimed water, the treatment requirements are secondary treatment, nutrient removal, coagulation, filtration and disinfection by chlorination or a combination of chlorination and UV. The method of disinfection shall achieve 5-log removal of Adenovirus type 15, 5-log removal of Salmonella typhimurium and 3-log removal of Giardia lamblia.
Additional context and definitions
Oklahoma requires reclaimed water piping, valves, outlets and appurtenances in distribution systems to be colored purple and stamped every 3 feet with the warning "CAUTION: RECLAIMED WATER–DO NOT DRINK” (Okla. Admin. Code § 252:656). Reclaimed water piping installed prior to July 1, 2012, as well as hose bibs and yard hydrants, must be equipped with above-ground warning signs containing the international "Do Not Drink" symbol every 300 feet, at every change in direction, on both sides of the road at every road crossing and at every outlet (Okla. Admin. Code § 252:656).
Water reuse for consumption by livestock specifications
Summary of Oklahoma's Water Reuse for Consumption by Livestock 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)* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Category 2 (Range cattle watering) |
Municipal wastewater |
Turbidity |
≤2 NTU (daily average) ≤2 NTU (> 5% of daily maximum per month) ≤10 NTU (single sample maximum) |
Continuous monitoring. The daily mean operating filter effluent turbidity (continuously monitored) is calculated as the average of turbidity measures at ≤ 1.2-hour intervals over 24 hours and must be reported monthly. The maximum 24-hour turbidity must be based on highest measure from continuous monitoring taken at ≤ 1.2-hour intervals over 24 hours. |
|
Chlorine residual (at POEa to distribution system) |
≥1.0 ppm (free available chlorine residual) or “the chlorine residual at the POE shall be at a level to prevent growth of slime and regrowth of pathogens in the distribution and storage systems as determined by an approved chlorine decay rate model pursuant to OAC 252:656-3-4 (b)(7)(C)” |
Continuous monitoring |
||
|
Chlorine residual (at end-of-pipe) |
≥0.20 mg/L (free available chlorine residual) or ≥0.50 mg/L (combined chlorine residual) |
Daily |
||
|
Fecal coliform |
0 CFU/100 mL (in four of the last seven daily samples) ≤23 CFU/100mL (single sample maximum) |
Daily |
||
|
Total Nitrogen |
"≤ most stringent agronomic rate" |
Monthly |
||
|
Total Phosphorous |
"≤ most stringent agronomic rate" |
Monthly |
||
|
5-day carbonaceous biochemical oxygen demand (CBOD5) |
<5 mg/L |
Weekly |
||
|
Adenovirus type 15 |
5-log removal or inactivation |
The method of disinfection must achieve these removals |
||
|
Salmonella typhimurium |
5-log removal or inactivation |
|||
|
Giardia lamblia |
3-log removal or inactivation |
Source= Okla. Admin. Code § 252:656, § 252:627
* 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 POE= point of entry
Upcoming state law or policy
No upcoming regulations pertaining to water reuse for consumption by livestock were found for Oklahoma.
References
Clean Water Act, 33 U.S.C. §§ 1251 et seq.
Operation and Maintenance of Water Reuse Systems, Okla. Admin. Code § 252:627.
Water Pollution Control Facility Construction Standards, Okla. Admin. Code § 252:656.
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.