Summary of Texas' Water Reuse Guideline or Regulation for Rainwater Collected Onsite 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 Texas
- 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.
In Texas, water reused for 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the introduction of recycled water into an environmental buffer, such as groundwater aquifer or surface reservoir being withdrawn for potable purposes (indirect potable reuse), and the introduction of recycled water into a drinking water treatment facility or directly into a potable water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). includes preparing food for consumption, washing dishes and utensils, bathing and other purposes where ingestion or human contact is possible. 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.
Check out Texas' other potable water reuse summary!
State requirements for water quality and treatment are often associated with the source water. Texas has a potable water reuse summary page where the source water is treated municipal wastewater.
Check out how Texas uses rainwater collected onsite for onsite non-potable water reuse.
Texas uses rainwater collected onsite for a variety of applications, including potable water reuse and onsite non-potable water reuse. Browse the onsite non-potable water reuse summary page.
Technical basis
Texas allows public water systems to collect and treat rainwater and distribute it as potable water (TCEQ, 2012). However, the Texas Commission Environmental Quality (TCEQ) classifies rainwater in these cases as a surface water source, and these public water systems must be regulated the same as public drinking water systems that utilize surface water for human consumption under the Texas drinking water standards (30 Tex. Admin. Code § 290). 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. Similarly, regarding rainwater, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) has jurisdiction over the public water systems that use rainwater to produce potable water. Though it cannot set minimum treatment requirements for rainwater that will be used as a drinking water source for a single household, there are guidance documents to help homeowners choose effective treatments. The technical basis for developing the guidance for 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 Texas
TCEQ (2007) defines the following allowed residential potable uses of rainwater:
- Preparing food or beverages for human consumption
- Washing dishes and utensils that are used to prepare or consume food or beverages
- Bathing
- Any other purpose that may result in the ingestion of water or its contact with skin
Water reuse treatment category/type
The TCEQ provides guidance on treating rainwater for a single household. These recommendations include:
- Pre-treatment: First-flush, roof washer or other appropriate pre-filtration method.
- Treatment:
- Filtration with an ANSI/NSF Standard 53 filter followed by disinfection with ANSI/NSF Standard 60 chlorine or an ANSI/NSF Std 55, Class A UV unit, or
- Filtration with a 3- to 5-micron ANSI/NSF Standard 61 sediment filter and disinfection with an ANSI/NSF Standard 55, Class A UV unit.
Additional context and definitions
TCEQ recommends that materials used to construct residential potable rainwater systems should be (when available) certified for potable water applications under ANSI/NSF Standard 61 (TCEQ, 2007). Thin-wall copper tubing and materials containing lead or biocides should not be used. They also recommend to never install a treated-water storage tank below ground and to install the tank inside of a building (if possible) to protect the system from contamination and inclement weather.
Potable reuse specifications
Summary of Texas' 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)* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Potable use (residential uses: preparing food or beverages, washing dishes and utensils, bathing and any other purpose that may results in ingestion of water or its contact with skin) |
Rainwater |
Turbidity |
<0.3 NTU |
Water testing recommended every 3 months |
|
Total coliform |
0 |
|||
|
Fecal coliform |
0 |
|||
|
Protozoan cysts |
0 |
|||
|
Viruses |
0 |
Sources = TCEQ (2007)
* 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.
Upcoming state law or policy
No upcoming reuse regulations related to potable use of rainwater were found for Texas.
References:
EPA-Administered Permit Programs: The National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System, 40 C.F.R. part 122.
National Primary Drinking Water Regulations, 40 C.F.R. § 141.
Public Drinking Water, 30 Tex. Admin. Code § 290.
Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ). 2012. Rainwater Harvesting: A Guide for Public Water Systems.
Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ). 2007. Harvesting, Storing, and Treating Rainwater for Domestic Indoor Use.
Use of Reclaimed Water, 30 Tex. Admin. Code § 210.
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.