Ariz. Admin. Code § R18-9-B702 - General Requirements for Reclaimed Water

A. Sewage treatment facility. A sewage treatment facility owner or operator shall provide reclaimed water for direct reuse only as authorized under an individual Aquifer Protection Permit.

B. Additional treatment. If an owner or operator of a facility accepts reclaimed water and provides additional treatment for a higher quality direct reuse, the facility is considered a sewage treatment facility and shall provide reclaimed water for direct reuse only as authorized under an individual Aquifer Protection Permit.

C. Reclaimed water blending facility. An owner or operator of a reclaimed water blending facility shall conduct blending operations only as authorized under a Recycled Water Individual Permit or a Type 3 Recycled Water General Permit for a Reclaimed Water Blending Facility.

D. Reclaimed water agent. A person shall operate as a reclaimed water agent only as authorized under a Recycled Water Individual Permit or a Type 3 Recycled Water General Permit for a Reclaimed Water Agent.

E. End user. A person shall not directly reuse reclaimed water unless permitted under this Article.

F. Irrigating with reclaimed water. A permittee applying reclaimed water for an irrigation use allowed in 18 A.A.C. 11, Article 3, Table A shall:

1. Use application methods that reasonably preclude human contact with reclaimed water;

2. Prevent reclaimed water from standing on open access areas during normal periods of use; and

3. Prevent reclaimed water from coming into contact with drinking fountains, water coolers, or eating areas.

4. Secure hose bibbs discharging reclaimed water to prevent use by the public.

G. Hose bibbs. A permittee directly reusing reclaimed water shall secure hose bibbs discharging reclaimed water to prevent use by the public.

H. Prohibited activities.

1. Irrigating with untreated sewage;

2. Providing water for human consumption from a reclaimed water source, except as permitted under Article 8 of this Chapter.

3. Providing or using reclaimed water for any of the following activities:

a. Direct reuse for swimming, wind surfing, water skiing, or other full-immersion water activity with a potential of ingestion; or

b. Direct reuse for evaporative cooling or misting.

4. Misapplying reclaimed water for any of the following reasons:

a. Application of a stated class of reclaimed water of lesser quality than allowed by this Article for the type of direct reuse application;

b. Application of reclaimed water to any area other than a direct reuse site; or

c. Allowing runoff of reclaimed water or reclaimed water mixed with stormwater from a direct reuse site, except for:

i. Agricultural return flow directed onto an adjacent field or returned to an open water conveyance; or

ii. A discharge authorized by an individual or general NPDES or AZPDES permit.

H.I. Signage and Notification. A permittee shall place and maintain signage at locations and provide applicable notification as specified in Table 1 so the public is informed reclaimed water is in use and no one should drink from the system.

J. Pipeline Conveyances of Reclaimed Water.

1. Applicability. Any person constructing a pipeline conveyance, whether new or a replacement of an existing pipeline, shall meet the requirements of this subsection.

2. A person shall design and construct a pipeline conveyance system using good engineering judgement following standards of practice.

3. A person shall construct a pipeline conveyance so that:

a. Reclaimed water does not find its way into, or otherwise contaminate, a potable water system;

b. System structural integrity is maintained; and

c. The capability for inspection, maintenance, and testing is maintained.

4. A person shall construct a pipeline conveyance and all appurtenances conducting reclaimed water to withstand a static pressure of at least 50 pounds per square inch greater than the design working pressure without leakage as determined in A.A.C. R18-9-E301(D)(2)(j).

5. A person shall provide a pipeline conveyance with thrust blocks or restrained joints where needed to prevent excessive movement of the pipeline.

6. The following requirements for minimum separation distance apply. A person shall:

a. Locate a pipeline conveyance no closer than 50 feet from a drinking water well unless the pipeline conveyance is constructed as specified under subsection (J)(5)(c);

b. Locate a pipeline conveyance no closer than two feet vertically nor six feet horizontally from a potable water pipeline unless the pipeline conveyance is constructed as specified under subsection (J)(5)(c);

c. Construct a pipeline conveyance that does not meet the minimum separation distances specified in subsections (J)(5)(a) and (J)(5)(b) by encasing the pipeline conveyance in at least six inches of concrete or using mechanical joint ductile iron pipe or other materials of equivalent or greater tensile and compressive strength at least 10 feet beyond any point on the pipeline conveyance within the specified minimum separation distance; and

d. If a reclaimed water system is supplemented with water from a potable water system, separate the potable water system from the pipeline conveyance by an air gap.

7. A person shall:

a. For a pipeline conveyance, eight inches in diameter or less, use pipe marked on opposite sides in English: "CAUTION: RECLAIMED WATER, DO NOT DRINK" in intervals of three feet or less and colored purple or wrapped with durable purple tape.

b. For a mechanical appurtenance to a pipeline conveyance, ensure the mechanical appurtenance is colored purple or legibly marked to identify it as part of the reclaimed water distribution system and distinguish it from systems for potable water distribution and sewage collection.

K. Open Water Conveyances of Reclaimed Water.

1. This subsection applies to an open water conveyance, regardless of the date of construction.

2. A person shall maintain an open water conveyance to prevent release of reclaimed water except as allowed under federal and state regulations. The maintenance program shall include periodic inspections and follow-up corrective measures to ensure the integrity of conveyance banks and capacity of the conveyance to safely carry operational flows.

3. Signage for Class B+, B, and C Reclaimed Water. A person shall:

a. Ensure signs state: "CAUTION: RECLAIMED WATER, DO NOT DRINK," and display the international "do not drink" symbol;

b. Place signs at all points of ingress and, if the open water conveyance is operated with open access, at least every 1/4-mile along the length of the open water conveyance or other interval as approved in writing by the Department; and

c. Ensure signs are visible and legible from both sides of the open water conveyance.

Notes

Ariz. Admin. Code § R18-9-B702

Former Section R9-20-404 repealed, new Section R9-20-404 adopted effective May 24, 1985 (Supp. 85-3). Former Section R9-20-404 renumbered without change as Section R18-9-704 (Supp. 87-3). Section repealed; new Section adopted by final rulemaking at 7 A.A.R. 758, effective January 16, 2001 (Supp. 01-1). Amended by final rulemaking at 22 A.A.R. 1696, effective 8/12/2016. Amended and renumbered from R18-9-704 by final rulemaking at 23 A.A.R. 3091, effective 1/1/2018. Amended by final rulemaking at 31 A.A.R. 1069, effective 3/4/2025.