Water reuse criteria in the United States

Abstract

Water reuse is well established in the United States, with uses ranging from pasture irrigation using reclaimed water that has received a low level of treatment, to augmentation of potable water supplies with highly treated reclaimed water. There are no federal regulations governing water reuse and criteria are developed at the state level. Criteria differ between states that have adopted regulations or guidelines, but criteria among states where water reuse is prevalent are similar and tend to be conservative, with public health protection being the most important consideration. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has published guidelines for water reuse that include recommended criteria for various reclaimed water applications.