Reusing Water for Potable Applications Resources
Potable water reuse is the use of highly treated municipal wastewater adequately treated for drinking water purposes that meets or exceeds federal Clean Water Act and Safe Drinking Water Act standards. With thoughtful planning and infrastructure investments, potable water reuse can provide a healthy and reliable drinking water source to help communities build resilience to climate impacts, such as drought.
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 potable reuse; for information on other uses, please visit the Water Reuse Resource Hub by End-Use Application.
On this page:
Key Resources
The following are a sampling of the key water sector resources that are freely available to support water practitioners interested in developing potable water reuse 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.
- Water Recycling for Climate Resilience Through Enhanced Aquifer Recharge (EAR) and Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR) (2023) – This EPA publication summarizes different technical and policy considerations influencing how recycled water can be used to recharge groundwater. It includes a discussion of EAR and ASR drivers, current practices in the U.S., potential subsurface water quality changes and technical considerations, treatment needs, and regulatory considerations.
- Mainstreaming Potable Water Reuse in the United States: Strategies for Leveling the Playing Field (2018) – This 2018 EPA document is the result of an expert workshop that investigated the institutional complexities and challenges associated with implementing potable water reuse projects. Practical strategies are outlined for communities to use to elevate potable reuse to the same state of legitimacy and acceptance as established drinking water sources.
- 2017 Potable Reuse Compendium – The EPA issued this document to outline key science, technical, and policy considerations regarding potable water reuse. This compendium is a compilation of technical information on potable reuse practices to provide planners and decision-makers with a summary of the current state of the practice. Specific knowledge and experience are drawn from case studies on existing reuse approaches.
- Potable Reuse Research Compilation: Synthesis of Findings (2016) – The Water Research Foundation published this document as a synthesis of 34 research projects that investigated the feasibility of direct potable reuse. This report covers topics in public health, treatment, and water quality monitoring, among others. It is available at no cost by creating an account with The Water Research Foundation.
- Framework for Direct Potable Reuse (2015) – This document was developed by an independent expert panel in coordination with the WateReuse Association, American Water Works Association, and the Water Environment Federation to identify different critical elements states should consider when developing regulations for direct potable reuse. It includes information on source control, treatment requirements, water quality monitoring, operations, and public outreach.
- Water Reuse Potential for Expanding the Nation’s Water Supply Through Reuse of Municipal Wastewater (2012) – In this report, the National Research Council makes recommendations to protect public health for planned and de facto reuse. The report presents different treatment options to reduce water quality issues in recycled water and includes a risk analysis to help bolster public confidence in water reuse.
State Water Reuse Regulations and Guidelines
The following states developed guidelines and regulations for reusing water for potable applications. Click the links from the REUSExplorer to review summary documents, which include the state regulations authorizing the use of recycled water for potable applications, water quality and treatment specifications, definitions, and more!