Summary of North Carolina's Water Reuse Guideline or Regulation for Environmental Restoration

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 for environmental restoration approved for use in North Carolina
• Water reuse treatment category for environmental restoration
• Additional context and definitions
• Water reuse for environmental restoration specifications (table)
• Upcoming state law or policy
• References
• Disclaimer

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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 North Carolina, water reused for environmental restoration environmental restorationThe use of recycled water to create, sustain, or augment water bodies including wetlands, aquatic habitats, or stream flow. Includes groundwater or aquifer recharge for protection from saltwater intrusion , stream flow augmentation and wildlife habitat, and source water protection. includes wetland augmentation. The source of water (treated municipal wastewater) 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 reclaimed wastewater. The write-up below 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

North Carolina approves the use of reclaimed water for beneficial use, including water reuse for environmental restoration. Beneficial use applications related to environmental restoration reuse purposes include wetland augmentation (15A N.C. Admin Code). 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 state water quality standards. In North Carolina, a permit is required from the North Carolina Division of Water Quality Aquifer Protection Section, Land Application Unit to treat and produce treated municipal wastewater (15A N.C. Admin Code § 02U). Treatment requirements and performance standards are applied for the removal of microbial contaminants, chemicals and other relevant indicators for environmental restoration-related applications and are summarized in the table. The technical basis for developing the specifications and/or removals of microbial contaminants, chemicals and other relevant indicators is not explicitly specified.

Water reuse for environmental restoration approved for use in North Carolina

15A N.C. Admin Code § 02U as well as the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (NCEQ, 2023) defines the following approved environmental restoration reuse applications:

• Wetland augmentation (Type 1 reclaimed water)

Additional environmental restoration reuse applications for collected treated municipal wastewater are not specified.

Water reuse treatment category for environmental restoration

Reclaimed water discharged to natural wetlands shall be treated to Type 1 reclaimed water standards. Treatment requirements are not specified for Type 1 reclaimed water; however, for treated effluent to be categorized as Type I, the parameter limits provided in the table must be met (15A NCAC 02U).

In addition to the water quality requirements associated with Type 1 reclaimed water, additional nitrogen and phosphorus requirements must be met prior to the discharge of reclaimed water to wetlands, unless net environmental benefits are provided. Metal concentrations in reclaimed water discharged to wetlands shall not exceed North Carolina surface water quality standards, unless acute whole effluent toxicity testing demonstrates absence of toxicity (15A NCAC 02U).

Additional context and definitions

North Carolina defines beneficial reuse as the utilization of reclaimed water in a beneficial manner and for the purpose of conservation of the State’s water resources by reducing the use of other potable water, surface water and groundwater resources (15A N.C. Admin Code 02U.0100). Reclaimed water is defined as treated wastewater effluent meeting the required effluent standards and used for beneficial reuse (15A N.C. Admin Code § 02U).

North Carolina requires reclaimed water to be distributed through “pipes and appurtenances that are either colored purple (Pantone 522 or equivalent) and embossed or integrally stamped or marked ‘CAUTION: RECLAIMED WATER – DO NOT DRINK’ or installed with a purple (Pantone 522 or equivalent) identification tape or polyethylene vinyl wrap. The warning must be stamped on opposite sides of the pipe and repeated every three feet or less.” The “identification tape must be at least three inches wide and have white or black lettering on purple (Pantone 522 or equivalent) field stating ‘CAUTION: RECLAIMED WATER – DO NOT DRINK.’ Identification tape shall be installed on top of reclaimed water pipelines, fastened at least every 10 feet to each pipe length and run continuously the entire length of the pipe. Existing underground distribution systems retrofitted for the purpose of conveying reclaimed water shall be taped or otherwise identified. This identification need not extend the entire length of the distribution system but shall be incorporated within 10 feet of crossing any potable water supply line or sanitary sewer line.” No direct cross-connections between the reclaimed water and potable waters systems are permitted, unless such connections have been approved by the state. Irrigation system piping is considered part of the distribution system (15A N.C. Admin Code § 02U).

Wetland augmentation is limited to pine flat and hardwood flat wetlands as defined in the most current version of the North Carolina Wetland Assessment Method User Manual, and is limited to times when the depth to groundwater is greater than or equal to one foot. In addition, for dedicated wetlands augmentation systems, the wetlands augmentation facility must provide 200 percent of the land requirements based on the recommended hydraulic loading rate (15A N.C. Admin Code § 02U).

The North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources (NCENR) has an established Water Efficiency Manual to support the safe and sustainable use of treated municipal wastewater as well as provide foundation of the basis of specifications (NCENR, 2009).

Water reuse for environmental restoration specifications

Summary of North Carolina's Water Reuse for Environmental Restoration Specifications

Source = 15A N.C. Admin Code § 02U.

^a 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.

^b Applies to Type 1 reclaimed water discharged to wetlands. Requirement remains applicable unless net environmental benefits are provided.

Upcoming state law or policy

No upcoming regulations pertaining to water reuse for environmental restoration were found for North Carolina.

References

Clean Water Act, 33 U.S.C. §§ 1251 et seq.

Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), 124 Stat. 3885.

North Carolina Administrative Code (NCAC) Title 15A Environmental Quality, 15A N.C. Admin Code.

North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources (NCDENR). 2009. Water Efficiency Manual.

North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (NCDEQ). 2023. Water Reuse & Reclamation.

Reclaimed Water, 15A N.C. Admin Code § 02U.

Water Resources, 38 N.C. Admin Code. §143 355.5.

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Disclaimers

Please contact us at [email protected] 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.