Summary of Texas' Water Reuse Guideline or Regulation for Centralized Non-potable 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
- Applications of centralized non-potable reuse approved for use in Texas
- Water reuse category/type
- Additional context and definitions
- Centralized non-potable 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 Texas, centralized non-potable reuse The use of recycled water for centralized non-potable reuse where the water does not derive from the same site where it is to be reused. Can include, but is not limited to, toilet flushing, dust control, soil compaction, fire protection, commercial laundries, vehicle washing, street cleaning, snowmaking, and other similar uses. Excludes on-site non-potable water reuse and the use of recycled water for agriculture or landscaping. applications include fire protection, toilet or urinal flushing, soil compaction and dust control. 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
Texas approves the use of reclaimed water for centralized non-potable reuse applications including fire protection, toilet and urinal flushing, soil compaction and dust control (30 Tex. Admin. Code § 210.32). 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 pathogen and chemical contaminants for centralized non-potable reuse applications. The technical basis for the removal of pathogen and chemical contaminants is not explicitly specified.
Applications of centralized non-potable reuse approved for use in Texas
30 Tex. Admin. Code § 210.32 defines the following approved centralized non-potable reuse applications:
- Fire protection, either in internal sprinkler systems or external fire hydrants (Type I)
- Toilet or urinal flushing (Type I)
- Soil compaction and dust control (Type II)
Water reuse category/type
The various classes of reclaimed water treatment are defined by their respective treatment requirements and applicable performance standards. The respective treatment requirements are briefly summarized for centralized non-potable reuse applications:
- Type I reclaimed water is intended for applications where human contact with the reclaimed water is likely. Required treatment processes (e.g., secondary treatment, disinfection, etc.) are not specified in the regulation but Type I reclaimed water must meet the pathogen and chemical removal requirements outlined in the table.
- Type II reclaimed water is intended for applications where human contact with the reclaimed water is unlikely. Required treatment processes (e.g., secondary treatment, disinfection, etc.) are not specified in the regulation but Type I reclaimed water must meet the pathogen and chemical removal requirements outlined in the table .
Additional context and definitions
Texas defines reclaimed water as “domestic or municipal wastewater which has been treated to a quality suitable for a beneficial use” (30 Tex. Admin. Code § 210.3).
Texas requires the hose bibs and faucets of municipal reclaimed water systems to be designed to prevent connection to a standard water hose and must be painted purple (30 Tex. Admin. Code § 210.25). Any area where reclaimed water is stored or whether hose bibs or faucets exist must either (1) have a sign posted at all storage areas and on all hose bibs and faucets reading, in English and Spanish, “Reclaimed Water, Do Not Drink”, or (2) the area must be secured to prevent public access. Reclaimed water piping must be separated nine feet horizontally from potable water piping and three feet horizontally from sewer lines (for reclaimed water lines that parallel sewer lines). All exposed reclaimed water piping within a building must be colored purple and all exposed piping should be labeled in white with a warning reading “NON-POTABLE WATER”.
Centralized non-potable reuse specifications
Summary of Texas' Centralized Non-potable Reuse Specifications
| Recycled Water Class/Category | Source Water Type | Water Quality Parameter | Specification | Sampling/Monitoring Requirements (Frequency of monitoring; site/ location of sample; quantification methods)* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Type I reclaimed water (fire protection in internal sprinkler systems or external fire hydrants, toilet and urinal flushing) |
Municipal wastewater |
5-day biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5) or 5-day carbonaceous biochemical oxygen demand (CBOD5) |
5 mg/L |
Type I reclaimed water must be sampled twice per week. |
|
Turbidity |
3 NTU |
|||
|
Fecal coliform or E. coli |
20 CFU/100 mL (30-day geometric mean) 75 CFU/100 mL (single sample maximum) |
|||
|
Enterococci |
4 CFU/100 mL (30-day geometric mean) 9 CFU/100 mL (single sample maximum) |
|||
|
Type II reclaimed water (soil compaction, dust control) |
Municipal wastewater |
5-day biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5) or 5-day carbonaceous biochemical oxygen demand (CBOD5) (for a system other than a pond system)a |
20 mg/L (BOD5) 15 mg/L (CBOD5) |
Type II reclaimed water must be sampled once per week. |
|
5-day biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5) (for a pond system)a |
30 mg/L |
|||
|
Turbidity |
3 NTU |
|||
|
Fecal coliform or E. coli |
200 CFU/100 mL (30-day geometric mean) 800 CFU/100 mL (single sample maximum) |
|||
|
Enterococci |
35 CFU/100 mL (30-day geometric mean) 89 CFU/100 mL (single sample maximum) |
Source = 30 Tex. Admin. Code § 210.33
* 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 Texas defines a pond system as a “wastewater facility in which primary treatment followed by stabilization ponds are used for secondary treatment” (30 Tex. Admin. Code § 210.3).
Upcoming state law or policy
No upcoming regulations pertaining to centralized non-potable reuse were found for Texas.
References:
Clean Water Act, 33 U.S.C. §§ 1251 et seq.
Definitions, 30 Tex. Admin. Code § 210.3.
Quality Standards for Using Reclaimed Water, 30 Tex. Admin. Code § 210.33.
Special Design Criteria for Reclaimed Water Systems, 30 Tex. Admin. Code § 210.25.
Specific Uses of Reclaimed Water, 30 Tex. Admin. Code § 210.32.
Use of Reclaimed Water, 30 Tex. Admin. Code § 210.
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.