A Survey of Key States’ Regulatory Approaches to Water Reuse
Colorado has a long history of beneficial water reuse, beginning with projects that were implemented in the 1950s. Over time non-potable reuse has grown to where there are now 27 reclaimed water treaters and nearly 500 reclaimed water users. In 2000, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) Water Quality Control Commission (WQCC) promulgated reuse regulations that were initially limited to using reclaimed water for landscaping. Since then there have been four additional rulemakings and the number of approved uses for reclaimed water has grown.
This position paper documents the information from a survey of several state reuse programs, with a focus on treatment and water quality requirements and allowed uses. States surveyed were identified in collaboration with the WQCD and WateReuse Colorado members and include California, Colorado, Florida, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington. State’ processes for evaluating proposed new uses for reclaimed water, and regulatory agency staffing and funding are also addressed. It is important to note that any references to statutes, rules, regulations, or guidance in this document should not be substituted for reference of the primary documents.
