Summary of Wisconsin's Water Reuse Guideline or Regulation for Landscaping
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 landscaping approved for use in Wisconsin
- Water reuse for landscaping 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 Wisconsin, water reuse for water reuse for landscapingThe use of recycled water on land to assist in the irrigation of vegetation in residential and non-residential areas. Includes impoundments to store water for irrigation , ornamental vegetation, parks, school yards, sporting facilities (including golf courses), private gardens, roadsides and greenbelts, and cemeteries. Excludes irrigation of areas used for agriculture, commercial reuse applications, or any centralized non-potable reuse. includes subsurface infiltration and irrigation. 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. This 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
Wisconsin approves the use of recycled water for landscaping, including subsurface infiltration and irrigation for single family homes and commercial buildings subject to the plumbing code as part of their Plumbing Treatment Standards (Wis. Admin. Code Trans. § 382.70). Reuse of wastewater for landscape irrigation from municipal wastewater treatment facilities is regulated under each facility’s Wisconsin Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (WPDES) Permit. The permit requirements for facilities are developed on a case-by-case basis and based on Wisconsin’s Groundwater Quality standards (Wis. Admin. Code Trans. § NR 140). All applicable provisions of the Clean Water Act (CWA) (33 U.S.C. §§ 1251 et seq.), including its implementing regulations, must be met. Treatment requirements and performance standards are applied for the removal of microbial contaminants, chemicals and other relevant indicators for water reuse for landscaping 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 for landscaping approved for use in Wisconsin
Wis. Admin. Code Trans. § 382.70 defines the following approved water reuse for landscaping:
- Subsurface infiltration and irrigation
Water reuse for landscaping specifications
Summary of Wisconsin's Water Reuse for Landscaping Specifications
| Recycled Water Class/Category | Source Water Type | Water Quality Parametera | Specification | Sampling/Monitoring Requirements (Frequency of monitoring; site/ location of sample; quantification methods)* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Subsurface infiltration and irrigation |
Municipal wastewater |
Oil and grease |
≤15 mg/L |
Not specified |
|
5-day biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5) |
≤30 mg/L |
|||
|
Total suspended solids |
≤35 mg/L |
|||
|
Fecal coliform |
≤200 CFU/100 mL |
|||
|
Nitrogen |
Not specified |
|||
|
Phosphorus |
Not specified |
Source= Wis. Admin. Code Trans. § 382.70
* 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 These parameters apply to single family homes and commercial buildings subject to Wisconsin’s plumbing code. Reuse of wastewater for landscape irrigation from municipal wastewater treatment facilities is regulated on a case-by-case basis under each facility’s Wisconsin Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (WPDES) Permit.
Upcoming state law or policy
No upcoming regulations pertaining to water reuse for landscaping were found for Wisconsin.
References
Clean Water Act, 33 U.S.C. §§ 1251 et seq.
Groundwater Quality, Wis. Admin. Code Trans. § NR 140.
Plumbing treatment standards, Wis. Admin. Code Trans. § 382.70.
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.