Washington Administrative Code › Title 173 - Ecology, Department of (See also Titles 197, 317, 372, and 508) › Chapter 173-219 - RECLAIMED WATER › Section 173-219-390 - Specific use-based requirements

Current through Register Vol. 24-14, July 15, 2024
The lead agency may consider and approve other uses not listed
				in Table 3 below on a case-by-case basis.
Table 3: Use-Based Performance Standards
Beneficial Use
Reclaimed Water Class Requirements
Additional Requirements
Indoor Use
(1) Commercial or industrial facilities,
						buildings, apartments, condominiums, hotels, and motels (toilet/urinal flushing
						or laundry).
Class A
Residents must not have access to the
						plumbing system for repairs or modifications. Where the residents have access
						to the plumbing system for repairs or modifications, no use of reclaimed water
						is permitted.
Commercial, Industrial and Institutional
						Uses1
(2) Commercial, industrial and institutional
						uses (including public water features) with public contact.
Class A
(3) Commercial, industrial, and institutional
						uses with environmental contact.
Class B
Must minimize adverse impacts to the
						environment and dependent beneficial uses.
(4) Commercial, industrial, and institutional
						uses with restricted access.
Class B
* Contact limited to qualified personnel. *
						Little potential for health impacts.
Land Application or
						Irrigation1
(5) Landscape irrigation with direct or
						indirect public access.
Class A
(6) Landscape irrigation with restricted
						access and contact.
Class B
Contact limited to qualified personnel or
						used at times of no, or very limited public access.
(7) Irrigation of food crops (unless
						otherwise specified).
Class A
(8) Frost protection of orchard crops.
Class B
* Must not apply within 15 days of harvest.
						"50-foot setback from public access.
(9) Irrigation of nonfood crops.
Class B
50-foot setback from public access.
(10) Irrigation of orchards or vineyards.
Class B
* 50-foot setback from public access. * Class
						B irrigation water must not come in contact with the fruit within 15 days of
						harvest.
(11) Irrigation of process food crops.
Class B
50-foot setback from public access.
(12) Irrigation of trees, fodder, fiber, or
						seed crops in pastures not accessed by milking animals.
Class B
50-foot setback from public access.
(13) Irrigation of trees, fodder, fiber, or
						seed crops in pastures accessed by milking animals.
Class A
Release to Wetlands
(14) Category I wetlands.
No reclaimed water use
(15) Category II wetlands with special
						characteristics.
No reclaimed water use
On a case-by-case basis, Class A reclaimed
						water may be used, if it can be demonstrated that no existing significant
						wetlands functions will be decreased and a net environmental benefit can be
						demonstrated as required in WAC 173-219-210(2)(h)(vi).
(16) Category II wetlands without special
						characteristics.2
Class A
Unless it can be demonstrated that no
						existing significant wetlands functions will be decreased and overall net
						environmental benefits will result from the release of reclaimed water must not
						exceed on average annual basis: * 20 mg/L BOD, 20 mg/L TSS, 3 mg/L TKN, and 1
						mg/L phosphorous. * Annual hydraulic load [LESS THAN EQUALS TO]2 cm/day.
(17) Category III or IV
						wetlands.2
Class A
Unless it can be demonstrated that no
						existing significant wetlands functions will be decreased and overall net
						environmental benefits will result from the release of reclaimed water must not
						exceed on average annual basis: * 20 mg/L BOD, 20 mg/L TSS, 3 mg/L N TKN, and 1
						mg/L phosphorous. * Annual hydraulic load [LESS THAN EQUALS TO]3 cm/day.
(18) Constructed treatment or beneficial use
						wetlands with public access.
Class A
Reclaimed water that does not meet the class
						A or B reclaimed water standards may be beneficially used for discharge into
						constructed treatment wetlands where the department of ecology, in consultation
						with the department of health, has specifically authorized such use at such
						lower standards, as provided for in
						RCW
						   90.46.090(2).
(19) Constructed treatment or beneficial use
						wetlands with no public access.
Class A or B
Reclaimed water that does not meet the class
						A or B reclaimed water standards may be beneficially used for discharge into
						constructed treatment wetlands where the department of ecology, in consultation
						with the department of health, has specifically authorized such use at such
						lower standards, as provided for in
						RCW
						   90.46.090(2).
Surface Water Augmentation
(20) Surface water augmentation (including
						direct via impoundments, rivers, reservoirs, or lakes and indirect via
						groundwater or bank infiltration).
Class A or B
Criteria established on a case-by-case basis
						to protect existing beneficial uses (recreational, environmental, or other).
						Must meet applicable requirements of: * Chapter 173-201A WAC (surface water
						standards). * WAC
						246-290-310 (drinking water
						maximum contaminant levels).
Groundwater Recharge
(21) Indirect groundwater recharge (surface
						percolation, subsurface percolation, or vadose wells).
Class A or B
Criteria established on a case-by-case basis.
						Must meet applicable requirements of: * Chapter 173-200 WAC (groundwater
						standards). F *Chapter 173-218 WAC when using a UIC well (underground injection
						control program). * WAC
						246-290-310 (drinking water
						maximum contaminant levels in finished reclaimed water or at alternative point
						of compliance). * Minimum physical setback of 200 feet, and sanitary control
						area requirements, whichever is greater, around water supply wells as outlined
						in WAC 246-290-135.
(22) Direct groundwater recharge (aquifer
						recharge).
Class A
Criteria established on a case-by-case basis.
						Must meet applicable requirements of: * Chapter 173-200 WAC (groundwater
						standards). * Chapter 173-218 WAC (UIC program). * WAC
						246-290-310 (drinking water
						maximum contaminant levels in finished reclaimed water product or at
						alternative point of compliance). * Minimum physical setback of 200 feet, and
						sanitary control zone area requirements, whichever is greater, around water
						supply wells as outlined in WAC
						246-290-135.
(23) Recovery of reclaimed water stored in an
						aquifer (aquifer recovery).
Class A
The effects of recovering stored reclaimed
						water from an aquifer must be demonstrated using the criteria presented in the
						engineering report. They must not negatively impact groundwater quality, the
						surrounding environment, or water rights holders.
Direct Potable Reuse
(24) Direct potable reuse.
Class A+
Class A+ treatment criteria will be
						established on a case-by-case basis by health. Direct potable reuse is not a
						beneficial use of reclaimed water unless and until the group A potable water
						purveyor or reclaimed water generator has applied for and received a waiver
						from the state board of health under WAC
						246-290-060(4).
1Class A reclaimed water may be used
				with no additional requirements.
2For depressional wetlands, maximum
				increase of 10 cm above the natural average monthly water
				level.