Summary of Utah's 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 applications approved for use in Utah
- 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 Utah, water reuse for 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 irrigation of food crops where the reuse water is and is not likely to have direct contact with the edible part; irrigation of pasture for milking animals; irrigation of sod farms; silviculture; and irrigation of animal feed crops other than pasture used for milking animals. The source of water 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 domestic 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
Utah approves the use of treated domestic wastewater effluent for agriculture, including irrigation where human exposure is both likely (Type I; e.g., irrigation of food crops and pasture for milking animals) and unlikely (Type II; e.g., irrigation of sod farms, animal feed crops, etc.). 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). 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 of Type I treated domestic wastewater effluent is based on California’s Title 22 Water Recycling Criteria (Cal. Code Regs. tit. 22). The microbial water quality standards and treatment requirements for Type II treated domestic wastewater effluent are secondary standards that are below the standards for primary recreational contact.
Water reuse for agriculture approved for use in Utah
Utah Admin. Code r. 317-3-11 defines the following approved water reuse for agriculture:
- Irrigation of food crops (including spray irrigation) where the applied reuse water is likely to have direct contact with the edible part (Type I)
- Irrigation of pasture for milking animals (Type I)
- Irrigation of sod farms (Type II)
- Silviculture (Type II)
- Irrigation of food crops where the applied treated effluent is not likely to have direct contact with the edible part, whether the food will be processed or not (spray irrigation not allowed) (Type II)
- Irrigation of animal feed crops other than pasture used for milking animals (Type II)
Water reuse treatment category for agriculture
The various classes of treated wastewater effluent are defined by their respective treatment requirements and applicable performance standards. The respective treatment requirements are briefly summarized regarding water reuse for agriculture:
- For Type I treated domestic wastewater effluent, the treatment requirements are secondary treatment, filtration and disinfection via chlorination, ozone, UV radiation or other chemical disinfectants.
- For Type II treated domestic wastewater effluent, the treatment requirements are secondary treatment and disinfection via chlorination, ozone, UV radiation or other chemical disinfectants.
Additional context and definitions
Utah requires that all new buried pipe used for carrying treated effluent within the public domain, including service lines, valves and other appurtenances must be colored purple (Pantone 522 or equivalent) (Utah Admin. Code r. 317-3-11). Identification tape reading “Caution: Treated Wastewater – Do Not Drink" is recommended if the pipe becomes discolored during construction. If Type II treated effluent is stored prior to application, fencing is required. Fencing is not required for stored, Type I treated effluent. Where treated effluent is used for irrigation in public areas, warning signs stating “Warning: Treated Wastewater – Do Not Drink” must be installed and contain, purple letters (Pantone 512 or equivalent color) on a white or other high contrast background notifying the public that the water is unsafe to drink. Signs may also have a purple background with white or other high contrast lettering. The signs should also include the international symbol for Do Not Drink (Utah Admin. Code r. 317-3-11).
Water reuse for agriculture specifications
Summary of Utah's Water reuse for Agriculture Specifications
| Recycled Water Class/Category (Approved Uses) | Source Water Type | Water Quality Parameter | Specification | Sampling/Monitoring Requirements (Frequency of monitoring; site/ location of sample; quantification methods)* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Type I (Irrigation of edible crops and pasture for milking animals) |
Domestic wastewater |
Biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) |
≤10 mg/L (monthly arithmetic mean) |
Weekly composite sampling; composite samples shall be comprised of at least six flow proportionate samples taken over a 24-hour period. |
|
Turbiditya |
≤2 NTU (daily arithmetic mean) ≤5 NTU (single sample maximum) |
Continuous monitoring prior to disinfection |
||
|
Total suspended solids (TSS) |
≤5 mg/L |
Continuous monitoring prior to disinfection |
||
|
E. coli |
None detected (weekly median) ≤9 organisms/100 mL (single sample maximum) |
Daily grab sampling |
||
|
pH |
6–9 |
Daily grab samples or continuous monitoring |
||
|
Total residual chlorine |
≥1.0 mg/L |
Continuous monitoring after 30 minutes contact time at peak flow (after disinfection and before the treated effluent goes into the distribution system) |
||
|
Nitrogen |
Not specified, but agronomic rates of application are required. |
n/a |
||
|
Phosphorus |
||||
|
Type II (Irrigation of sod farms; silviculture; Irrigation of food crops with no direct contact with water, animal feed crops other than pasture for milking animals) |
Domestic wastewater |
Biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) |
≤25 mg/L (monthly arithmetic mean) |
Weekly composite sampling; composite samples shall be comprised of at least six flow proportionate samples taken over a 24-hour period. |
|
Total suspended solids (TSS) |
≤25 mg/L (monthly arithmetic mean) ≤35 mg/L (weekly mean) |
Daily composite sampling |
||
|
E. coli |
≤126 organisms/100 mL (weekly median) ≤500 organisms/100 mL (single sample maximum) |
Daily grab sampling |
||
|
pH |
6–9 |
Daily grab sampling or continuous monitoring |
||
|
Nitrogen |
Not specified, but agronomic rates of application are required. |
n/a |
||
|
Phosphorus |
Source= Utah Admin. Code r. 317-3-11
* 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 turbidity standard cannot be met, but it can be demonstrated to the satisfaction of the Director that there exists a consistent correlation between turbidity and total suspended solids, then an alternate turbidity standard may be established (Utah Admin. Code r. 317-3-11).
Upcoming state law or policy
No upcoming regulations pertaining to water reuse for agriculture were found for Utah.
References
Clean Water Act, 33 U.S.C. §§ 1251 et seq.
Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), 124 Stat. 3885.
Use, Land Application and Alternate Methods for Disposal of Treated Wastewater Effluents, Utah Admin. Code r. 317-3-11.
Water Recycling Criteria, Cal. Code Regs. tit. 22.
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.