Summary of Ohio’s Water Reuse Guideline or Regulation for Potable Water Reuse
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 Rainwater Collected Onsite.
On this page:
- Technical basis
- Types of planned potable reuse approved for use in Ohio
- Water reuse treatment category/type
- Additional context and definitions
- Potable reuse 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.
Ohio allows potable water reuseThe use of highly treated recycled water for drinking water purposes. Includes the introduction of recycled water into an environmental buffer, such as groundwater aquifer or surface reservoir being withdrawn for potable purposes (indirect potable reuse), and the introduction of recycled water into a drinking water treatment facility or directly into a potable water distribution system (direct potable reuse). but does not provide specific potable use applications. The source of water rainwater collected onsite Precipitation collected at the district or regional scale is classified separately under 'stormwater.' is specified by the state as rainwater. The write-up on this page 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
Ohio allows the use of rainwater cisterns as a potable water source and regulates them under their private water system rules (Ohio Admin. Code 3701:28). Generally, potable water in the United States must meet all applicable Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) requirements, including its implementing regulations (40 C.F.R. § 141) for chemical and microbial contaminants and pollutant discharges from a point source for surface water augmentation require a federal National Pollutant Discharge Elimination Systems (NPDES) permit (40 C.F.R. part 122). The SDWA’s National Primary Drinking Water Regulations only apply to “public water systems,” which are systems for the provision to the public of water for human consumption through pipes or other constructed conveyances, if such systems have at least 15 service connections or regularly serve an average of at least 25 individuals daily at least 60 days out of the year. See SDWA section 1401(4) and 40 CFR 141.2. Private water systems in Ohio require a permit from the board of health pursuant to Ohio Admin. Code 3701:28. Rainwater cisterns are required to have continuous disinfection installed (Ohio Admin. Code 3701:28). The technical basis for developing the specifications and/or removals of microbial contaminants, chemicals and other relevant indicators is not explicitly specified.
Types of planned potable reuse approved for use in Ohio
Ohio Admin. Code 3701:28 does not provide specific potable use applications.
Water reuse treatment category/type
Ohio does not assign captured rainwater used for potable water reuse to a category or class of recycled water. Rainwater cisterns in Ohio are required to have continuous disinfection and filtration installed that meets the specifications outlines in the table below. If the continuous disinfection system utilizes chlorine, iodine or ozone it is required to have a disinfectant residual and utilize an additional protozoan cyst reduction filter that meets NSF 53 or an equivalent standard. If using UV disinfection, the system must meet all UV disinfection requirements set forth in NSF/ANSI 55-2017 for Class A systems and use an absolute five-micron filter [Ohio Admin. Code 3701-28-15(N)]. Where a private water system provides water to more than one dwelling or service connection and UV light is the primary means of disinfection, continuous disinfection must be installed to maintain a chlorine residual of at least 0.3 mg/L in the water distribution lines.
Additional context and definitions
Ohio defines a rainwater cistern as a “private water system that uses rainwater collected from a roof or other rain collection device as a source of water” (Ohio Admin. Code 3701:28). A private water system is defined as “any water system, other than the public water supply system, for the provision of water for human consumption, if the system has fewer than fifteen service connections and does not regularly serve an average of at least twenty-five individuals daily at least sixty days each year” (Ohio Admin. Code 3701:28).
All filtration and disinfectant systems for private water systems must be designed to meet peak demand flow requirements of the household but be capable of providing no less than a ten gallon/minute flow. A sampling faucet must be installed after each disinfection and filtration step of the treatment train (Ohio Admin. Code 3701:28). All filter and disinfection systems shall be designed to meet the calculated peak demand flow requirements of the household but must be capable of providing no less than a 10 gallon/minute flow.
Potable reuse specifications
Summary of Ohio's Potable Reuse Specifications
| Recycled Water Class/Category | Source Water Type | Water Quality Parameter | Specification | Sampling/Monitoring Requirements (Frequency of monitoring; site/ location of sample; quantification methods)* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Private water systems (rainwater cisterns) | ||||
|
Rainwater |
Total coliform |
No detectable CFU or MPN/100 mL |
Initially tested to receive permit approval, with repeat samples being taken by the permitter as needed for investigation |
|
|
E. coli |
No detectable CFU or MPN/100 mL |
|||
|
Free chlorine residuala |
≥ 0.4 mg/L |
Measured after 8 minutes of contact time |
||
|
Iodine disinfectant residuala |
0.5-1.0 mg/L |
Measured after 20 minutes of contact time |
||
|
Ozone disinfectant residuala |
≥ 0.1 mg/L |
Measured after 6 minutes of contact time |
Sources = Ohio Admin. Code 3701:28
* 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 If the continuous disinfection system utilizes chlorine, iodine, or ozone, it is required to have a disinfectant residual; if it utilizes ultraviolet light, it is not required to have a disinfectant residual.
Upcoming state law or policy
No upcoming reuse regulations related to potable use of rainwater were found for Ohio.
References:
EPA-Administered Permit Programs: The National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System, 40 C.F.R. part 122.
Filtration Systems Standards, NSF/ANSI 42, 53 and 401.
National Primary Drinking Water Regulations, 40 C.F.R. § 141.
Private Water Systems Rules, Ohio Admin. Code 3701:28.
Ultraviolet Microbiological Water Treatment Systems, NSF/ANSI 55 – 2017.
Please contact us at waterreuse@epa.gov 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.