Water Reuse for Consumption by Livestock Resources
Water reuse for consumption by livestock refers to the use of water that was generated on the farm or supplied by a local wastewater utility and treated for the consumption by livestock. This does not include the physical application of reclaimed water to pasture grass for milking and non-milking animals, forage crops used as animal feed, or land used for livestock grazing. For those uses, please see Reusing Water for Agricultural Activities. Water reuse is the practice of reclaiming water from a variety of sources, treating it, and reusing it for beneficial purposes. The following resources relate to reuse for consumption by livestock; for information on other uses, please visit the Water Reuse Resource Hub by End-Use Application.
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Key Resources
The following are a sampling of the key water sector resources that are freely available to support water practitioners interested in developing water reuse for livestock watering projects. Visit the Water Reuse Information Library for additional water reuse materials.
- 2025 Risk Based Framework for Developing Microbial Treatment Targets for Water Reuse – This EPA document provides detailed scientific information that states and Tribes can use to develop risk assessments and microbial treatment targets that support safe potable and non-potable water reuse.
- Using Disinfected Tertiary Recycled Water for Non-Dairy Livestock Watering: A Human and Animal Health Evaluation for the State of California (2018) – This report evaluates the use of disinfected tertiary recycled water for watering commercial, non-dairy livestock and recommends best management practices to couple with water reuse livestock watering criteria. This report was prepared by the National Water Research Institute for the California State Water Resources Control Board.
State Water Reuse Regulations and Guidelines
The following states developed guidelines and regulations for water reuse destined for consumption by livestock. Click the links from the REUSExplorer to review summary documents, which include the state regulations authorizing the use of recycled water for consumption by livestock, water quality and treatment specifications, definitions, and more!