Summary of Maryland'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 for agriculture approved for use in Maryland
• Water reuse treatment category for agriculture
• Additional context and definitions
• Water reuse for agriculture 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 Maryland, water reuse for agriculture water reuse for agricultureThe use of recycled water for production of both crops for human consumption and non-food crops of commercial value. This reuse application excludes consumption by livestock, onsite non-potable reuse, and landscaping. includes food crops commercially processed; fiber and seed crops; forested land; non-food crops; pasture for foraging livestock; silviculture; sod farms; ornamental nurseries; and turf. 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 municipal wastewater. The 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

Maryland approves the reuse of reclaimed water for agriculture in areas with restricted access and applicable buffer zones (Maryland DEM, 2010; Maryland DEM, 2016). All applicable provisions of the Clean Water Act (CWA) (33 U.S.C. §§ 1251 et seq.), including its implementing regulations, must be met. Additionally, commercial food crop growing operations may be subject 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 the derivation of pathogen indicator (fecal coliforms) and chemical contaminant removals for Class I reclaimed water were taken from Guidelines for Land Application/Reuse of Treated Municipal Wastewaters (MDE-WMA-001-04/10).

Water reuse for agriculture approved for use in Maryland

Maryland DEM (2016) defines the following approved water reuse for agriculture, which consists of the irrigation of:

• Food crops commercially processed (i.e., food crops that have undergone chemical or physical processing prior to sale to sufficiently remove or destroy pathogens) (Class I)
• Fiber and seed crops (Class I)
• Forested land (Class I)
• Non-food crops (Class I)
• Pasture for foraging livestock (Class I)
• Silviculture (Class I)
• Sod farms (Class I)
• Ornamental nurseries (Class I)
• Turf (including fodder) (Class I)

Water reuse treatment category for agriculture

The treatment requirements for land application of municipal wastewater for agriculture are briefly summarized: 

• Class I, which has a moderate effluent quality, is likely achievable by a lagoon or secondary biological treatment systems. Irrigation with Class I effluent requires a larger buffer zone than Class II and Class III, which have higher effluent qualities (Maryland DEM, 2010).

Additional context and definitions

In areas where Class III effluent is used for agriculture signs stating “Reclaimed Water, Do Not Drink” must be posted in the irrigation area to inform the public about irrigation of treated wastewater. A sign should be posted at each entrance to the site and visible to the public with a size greater than 4 inches in height and 8 inches in width. The prominent color of the sign should be purple. 

Maryland defines “restricted access” as limited access by humans to areas where any water (including reclaimed water not meeting the definition of potable water) is used, resulting in minimal or no potential for human contact. Site accessibility is limited to authorized operators and personnel (Maryland DEM, 2016). Maryland requires a State Groundwater Discharge Permit/General Permit for irrigation with Class I effluent (Maryland DEM, 2010).

Irrigation with Class I effluent requires a larger buffer zone than Class II and Class III which have higher effluent qualities (Maryland DEM, 2010). For irrigation with Class I effluent, a minimum buffer zone of 200 feet shall be provided between the wetted perimeter of spray irrigation areas and property lines, waterways, roads, etc. For residential properties, parks and other areas where people congregate, a 500-foot buffer is required between the wetted perimeter and structures. For irrigation with Class II effluent, there must be a minimum buffer zone of 25 feet from property lines, housing structures, public roads and streams, 50 feet from schools and playgrounds and 100 feet to potable wells (Maryland DEM, 2010). For irrigation with Class III effluent, there must be a minimum buffer zone of 100 feet provided between the wetted perimeter of the irrigation areas and outdoor licensed public eating, drinking and bathing facilities (Maryland DEM, 2010). 

Water reuse for agriculture specifications

Summary of Maryland's Water Reuse for Agriculture Specifications

Source= Maryland DEM (2010, 2016)

* 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 Higher levels of treatment and disinfection may be required under certain conditions such as a land application site located in a well head protection area with a significant amount of rock fragments in the soil. 

Upcoming state law or policy

No upcoming regulations pertaining to water reuse for agriculture were found for Maryland.

References

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

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

Maryland DEM. 2010. Guidelines for Land Application/Reuse of Treated Municipal Wastewaters (MDE-WMA-001-04/10).

Maryland DEM. 2016. Guidelines for Use of Class IV Reclaimed Water: High Potential for Human Contact.

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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.