Summary of Vermont's 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
- 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 Vermont, 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 are not specified. 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
There are no specific pre-approved centralized non-potable reuse applications in Vermont, but any proposal to reuse reclaimed water for an application “within buildings”, like toilet and urinal flushing, can be requested and will be reviewed by the state (VDEC, 2019). 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. State rules for reclaimed water use mention flushing water for urinals and toilets as an example and provide treatment requirements for that use. Treatment requirements and performance standards are applied for the removal of pathogen and chemical contaminants for reclaimed water reuse applications. The technical basis for the removal of pathogens and chemicals are not specified.
Water reuse category/type
Vermont does not assign reclaimed water used for centralized non-potable reuse applications to a category or class.
Additional context and definitions
Vermont adopted the provisions of the 2018 International Plumbing Code (IPC) for plumbing installations, including those for non-potable water systems (PEB, 2018). The 2018 IPC requires non-potable water outlets to be identified at the point of use with signage that reads as follows: “Nonpotable water is utilized for [application name]. CAUTION: NONPOTABLE WATER – DO NOT DRINK,” legibly and indelibly printed on a tag, sign, or the fixture itself (ICC, 2019a). The pictograph shown in 2018 IPC section 1301.3 must also be included on the signage (ICC, 2019a). Piping for on-site non-potable water systems is required to be purple in color and embossed, stamped or marked, with “CAUTION: NONPOTABLE WATER – DO NOT DRINK” (ICC, 2019b). Alternatively, the piping may be installed with a purple-colored identification tape or wrap that states “CAUTION: NONPOTABLE WATER – DO NOT DRINK” (ICC, 2019b). According to amendments made by Vermont upon adoption of the 2018 IPC, “equivalent wording and signage acceptable to code official” may also be permitted (PEB, 2018).
Centralized non-potable reuse specifications
Summary of Vermont's 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)* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Reclaimed water use (no specific pre-approved uses) |
Municipal wastewater |
E. coli |
≤2.2 E. coli bacteria/100 mL (geometric mean) 25 E. coli bacteria/100 mL (single sample maximum) |
The geometric mean is calculated using 5 samples at the point of use. |
|
Turbidity |
≤2.0 NTU (monthly average) 5.0 NTU (single sample maximum) |
The monthly average prior to disinfection |
||
|
Residual chlorine |
≥1.0 mg/L |
Not specified |
||
|
5-day biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5) |
≤10.0 mg/L (monthly average) |
The monthly average prior to disinfection |
||
|
Total suspended solids (TSS) |
≤5.0 mg/L (monthly average) |
The monthly average prior to disinfection |
||
|
Total dissolved phosphorus |
≤0.5 mg/L |
Not specified |
||
|
Total Kjeldahl nitrogen |
≤5 mg/L |
|||
|
Ammonia (as N) |
≤1 mg/L |
|||
|
Nitrate nitrogen |
≤5 mg/L |
Source = VDEC (2019)
* 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 centralized non-potable reuse were found for Vermont.
References:
Clean Water Act, 33 U.S.C. §§ 1251 et seq.
International Code Council (ICC). 2019a. International Plumbing Code. Chapter 13: Nonpotable Water Systems.
International Code Council (ICC). 2019b. International Plumbing Code. Chapter 6: Water Supply and Distribution.
The Plumbers’ Examining Board (PEB). 2018. Vermont Plumbing Rules. Section 21: Adoption of the 2018 International Plumbing Code (including Vermont amendments).
Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation (VDEC). 2019. Chapter 14 of the Environmental Protection Rules: Indirect Discharge Rules (IDR).
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.