Recycled Water: Regulations and Guidance

Last Update: November 12, 2008

CDPH's regulations, draft regulations, and guidance documents for water recycling are listed below. 

For more information about our activities related to recycled water, please contact Jeff Stone of our Recycled Water Unit at (805) 566-9767.

Draft Groundwater Recharge Reuse Regulations

We've developed draft Groundwater Recharge Reuse Regulations (PDF) (dated August 5, 2008), as part of the process of developing a final proposed version of the regulations.  The final proposed version will proceed through the formal regulation adoption process and will be subject to public review and comment as part of that process.  

More information is available here:

• A Summary of Differences Between the January 2007 and August 2008 Groundwater Recharge Draft Regulations (PDF) .
• This October 15, 2008 presentation (PDF) also describes the draft regulations.
• Emerging contaminants:  These FAQs address the draft proposed regulations' reference to the control of emerging unregulated contaminants.  The FAQs will replace the draft regulations' Endnotes -- the Endnotes will not be part of the proposed regulations. 
• Along with the FAQs are links pertaining to emerging contaminants.

Other Related Regulations

• Current CROSS CONNECTION regulations are included in recycled water regulations (PDF)in Title 17. Revisions are being developed (PDF).
• CDPH is developing other drinking water-related regulations [check on their status here]. 

• Recycled water regulations and statutes are compiled in California Health Laws Related to Recycled Water— June 2001 Update (PDF).   [Note: This update does not include statutory changes made since June 2001, e.g., Water Code: §13540—Recycled Water; §13578—Recycled Water Task Force.]
  
  Note: The compilation of regulations and statutes is meant to aid Drinking Water Program staff and is not to be relied upon as the State of California's representation of the law. The published codes are the only official representation of the law, e.g., Titles 17 and 22 of the California Code of Regulations and the Health and Safety and Water Codes.  Refer to the published codes whenever specific citations are required.  

• There are no formally proposed regulations at this time.

Guidance Documents

• Preparation of an Engineering Report for the Production, Distribution and Use of Recycled Water (PDF) — March 2001

• Analysis of Total Organic Carbon at Low Levels for Groundwater Recharge Reuse Projects (PDF)— April 2003

• Analysis and reporting of non-target compounds—including tentatively identified compounds (TICs)—for extremely impaired sources (PDF) and recycled water:  
  (1) Non-Target Volatile Organic Chemicals (PDF)- September 10, 2003 draft
  (2) Non-Target Semi-Volatile Organic Chemicals (PDF)- September 10, 2003 draft

Other Reports

• Treatment Technology Report for Recycled Water (PDF)