Summary of Texas' Water Reuse Guideline or Regulation for Agriculture

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 agriculture approved for use in Texas
• Water reuse treatment category for agriculture
• Additional context and definitions
• Water reuse for agriculture 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 Texas, water reuse for agriculture water reuse for agricultureThe use of recycled water to land to assist in the production of both commercially and non-commercially processed food crops consumed by humans or livestock and non-food crops. Includes pasture for milking and non-milking animals, fodder, fiber, and seed crops, vineyards, orchards, ornamental nursery stock, Christmas trees, and silviculture. Excludes consumption by livestock, onsite non-potable reuse, and landscaping. includes food crops where the applied reclaimed water may have direct contact with the edible portion of the crop, unless the food crop undergoes a pasteurization process or if the food crop is washed and cleaned before consumption; pastures for milking animals; sod farms and silviculture when the irrigation site is considered to be remote, is bordered by walls or fences and access to the site is controlled and/or is restricted from public access; food crops where the reclaimed water is not likely to have direct contact with the edible part of the crop, or where the food crop undergoes pasteurization prior to distribution for consumption; animal feed crops other than pasture for milking animals. The source of water (treated municipal wastewater) 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

Texas approves the use of reclaimed water for agriculture, including the irrigation of food crops, sod farms, animal feed crops, silviculture and pastures for milking animals (30 Tex. Admin. Code § 210.32). 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 relevant rule requirements under the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) (124 Stat. 3885). Texas requires specific treatment for the reuse of reclaimed water for agriculture in areas where public access is expected only for Type II water. Treatment requirements and performance standards are applied for the removal of microbial contaminants, chemicals and other relevant indicators related to agriculture 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 agriculture approved for use in Texas

30 Tex. Admin. Code § 210.32 defines the following approved water reuse for agriculture: 

• Food crops where the applied reclaimed water may have direct contact with the edible part of the crop, unless the food crop undergoes a pasteurization process or if the food crop is washed and cleaned before consumption (Type I)
• Pastures for milking animals (Type I)
• Sod farms and silviculture when the irrigation site is considered to be remote, is bordered by walls or fences and access to the site is controlled by the owner/operator of the irrigation site and/or is restricted from public access by local ordinance or law with specific standards to achieve such a purpose (Type II)
• Food crops where the reclaimed water is not likely to have direct contact with the edible part of the crop, or where the food crop undergoes pasteurization prior to distribution for consumption (Type II)
• Animal feed crops other than pasture for milking animals (Type II)

Water reuse treatment category for agriculture

The various classes of reclaimed water treatment are defined by their respective treatment requirements and applicable performance standards. Texas also allows the use of Type I reclaimed water for any Type II uses related to agricultural irrigation (30 Tex. Admin. Code § 210.32). The respective treatment requirements are briefly summarized regarding water reuse for agriculture: 

• Type I reclaimed water is intended for applications where human contact with the reclaimed water is likely. Required treatment processes (e.g., secondary treatment, disinfection, etc.) are not specified in the regulation but Type I reclaimed water must meet the pathogen and chemical removal requirements outlined in the table.
• Type II reclaimed water is intended for applications where human contact with the reclaimed water is unlikely. Required treatment processes (e.g., secondary treatment, disinfection, etc.) are not specified in the regulation but Type II reclaimed water must meet the pathogen and chemical removal requirements outlined in the table.

Additional context and definitions

Texas defines reclaimed water as “domestic or municipal wastewater which has been treated to a quality suitable for a beneficial use” (30 Tex. Admin. Code § 210.3).

Texas requires the hose bibs and faucets of municipal reclaimed water systems to be designed to prevent connection to a standard water hose and must be painted purple (30 Tex. Admin. Code § 210.25). Any area where reclaimed water is stored or whether hose bibs or faucets exist must either (1) have a sign posted at all storage areas and on all hose bibs and faucets reading, in English and Spanish, “Reclaimed Water, Do Not Drink,” or (2) the area must be secured to prevent public access. Reclaimed water piping must be separated nine feet horizontally from potable water piping and three feet horizontally from sewer lines (for reclaimed water lines that parallel sewer lines). All exposed reclaimed water piping within a building must be colored purple and all exposed piping should be labeled in white with a warning reading “NON-POTABLE WATER.”

Water reuse for agriculture specifications

Summary of Texas' Water Reuse for Agriculture Specifications

Source= 30 Tex. Admin. Code § 210.33

* 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 Texas defines a pond system as a “wastewater facility in which primary treatment followed by stabilization ponds are used for secondary treatment” (30 Tex. Admin. Code § 210.33).

Upcoming state law or policy

No upcoming regulations pertaining to water reuse for agriculture were found for Texas.

References

Clean Water Act, 33 U.S.C. §§ 1251 et seq.

Definitions, 30 Tex. Admin. Code § 210.3.

Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), 124 Stat. 3885.

Quality Standards for Using Reclaimed Water, 30 Tex. Admin. Code § 210.33.

Special Design Criteria for Reclaimed Water Systems, 30 Tex. Admin. Code § 210.25.

Specific Uses of Reclaimed Water, 30 Tex. Admin. Code § 210.32.

Use of Reclaimed Water, 30 Tex. Admin. Code § 210.

---

Disclaimers

Please contact us at [email protected] 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.