Summary of Ohio's Water Reuse Guideline or Regulation for Landscaping
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 landscaping approved for use in Ohio
- Additional context and definitions
- Water reuse for landscaping specifications (table)
- Upcoming state law or policy
- References
- Disclaimer
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 Ohio, water reuse for water reuse for landscapingThe use of recycled water on land to assist in the irrigation of vegetation in residential and non-residential areas. Includes impoundments to store water for irrigation , ornamental vegetation, parks, school yards, sporting facilities (including golf courses), private gardens, roadsides and greenbelts, and cemeteries. Excludes irrigation of areas used for agriculture, commercial reuse applications, or any centralized non-potable reuse. includes golf course and athletic field irrigation. The source of water 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 treated sewage. This 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
Ohio approves the reuse of reclaimed water for landscaping, including the irrigation of golf courses and recreational/athletic fields (Ohio Admin. Code 3745-42-01). 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 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 for water reuse for landscaping 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 landscaping approved for use in Ohio
Ohio Admin. Code 3745-42-13 defines the following approved water reuse for landscaping:
- Golf course irrigation (Class A); and
- Athletic field irrigation (Class A)
Additional context and definitions
Ohio specifies water reuse for landscaping within Ohio Admin. Code 3745-42-13 for land application systems. Such land application does not occur on farmland growing crops for the purpose of raw human consumption (Ohio Admin. Code 3745-42-12). That rule establishes permit application requirements, design standards, siting restrictions, operation and maintenance requirements and water quality and monitoring frequency requirements for land application systems as part of their supervision of the installation and operation and maintenance of this type of sewage or liquid industrial waste disposal system. The regulation requires (among others) that (1) a land application system shall be protective of public health and the environment; and (2) treated sewage shall be land applied so as to minimize direct human contact and the potential for creating aerosols and mist (Ohio Admin. Code 3745-42-13). Land application sites must be approved by the Ohio EPA. As part of that approval process, access restrictions may be required and the land application management plan must be followed.
In Ohio, Class A treated sewage is defined as sewage treated to meet the requirements provided in Ohio Admin. Code 3745-42-13 and 3745-42-01. Land application of treated sewage is defined as a process that reuses or recycles treated sewage in a manner that minimizes or eliminates the discharge of pollutants to waters of the state (Ohio Admin. Code 3745-42-01). A land application of treated sewage system consists of a sewage treatment works that typically utilizes spray-irrigation to land apply all or a portion of the treated sewage to sites such as golf courses, recreational fields or farmland.
Water reuse for landscaping specifications
Summary of Ohio's Water Reuse for Landscaping Specifications
| Recycled Water Class/Category (Approved Uses) | Source Water Type | Water Quality Parameter | Specification | Sampling/Monitoring Requirements (Frequency of monitoring; site/ location of sample; quantification methods)* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Class A (Golf course and athletic field irrigation) |
Treated sewage |
Flow |
Monitoring only for 30-day average and daily maximum |
Daily monitoring if design flow ≥ 250,000 gallons per day Daily monitoring if 250,000 gallons per day > design flow ≥ 100,000 gallons per day Daily monitoring if 100,000 gallons per day > design flow ≥ 25,000 gallons per day Daily monitoring if 25,000 gallons per day > design flow ≥ 10,000 gallons per day Daily monitoring if design flow < 10,000 gallons per day |
|
pH |
6.0 s.u. – 9.0 s.u. (30-day average and daily maximum) |
Daily monitoring if design flow ≥ 250,000 gallons per day Daily monitoring if 250,000 gallons per day > design flow ≥ 100,000 gallons per day Weekly monitoring if 100,000 gallons per day > design flow ≥ 25,000 gallons per day Monthly monitoring if 25,000 gallons per day > design flow ≥ 10,000 gallons per day Quarterly monitoring if design flow < 10,000 gallons per day |
||
|
Oil and grease |
10 mg/L (daily maximum) |
Monthly monitoring if design flow ≥ 250,000 gallons per day Monthly monitoring if 250,000 gallons per day > design flow ≥ 100,000 gallons per day Quarterly monitoring if 100,000 gallons per day > design flow ≥ 25,000 gallons per day Biannual monitoring if 25,000 gallons per day > design flow ≥ 10,000 gallons per day Yearly monitoring if design flow < 10,000 gallons per day |
||
|
Total suspended solids |
12 mg/L (30-day average) |
Twice per week monitoring if design flow ≥ 250,000 gallons per day Twice per week monitoring if 250,000 gallons per day > design flow ≥ 100,000 gallons per day Weekly monitoring if 100,000 gallons per day > design flow ≥ 25,000 gallons per day Monthly monitoring if 25,000 gallons per day > design flow ≥ 10,000 gallons per day Quarterly monitoring if design flow < 10,000 gallons per day |
||
|
5-day carbonaceous biochemical oxygen demand (CBOD5) |
10 mg/L (30-day average) |
Twice per week monitoring if design flow ≥ 250,000 gallons per day Twice per week monitoring if 250,000 gallons per day > design flow ≥ 100,000 gallons per day Weekly monitoring if 100,000 gallons per day > design flow ≥ 25,000 gallons per day Monthly monitoring if 25,000 gallons per day > design flow ≥ 10,000 gallons per day Quarterly monitoring if design flow < 10,000 gallons per day |
||
|
E. coli |
Non-detects in 4 of the last 7 samples (30-day average) 2 CFU/100 mL (daily maximum) |
Twice per week monitoring if design flow ≥ 250,000 gallons per day Weekly monitoring if 250,000 gallons per day > design flow ≥ 100,000 gallons per day Monthly monitoring if 100,000 gallons per day > design flow ≥ 25,000 gallons per day Monthly monitoring if 25,000 gallons per day > design flow ≥ 10,000 gallons per day Quarterly monitoring if design flow < 10,000 gallons per day |
||
|
Total residual chlorine |
1.0 mg/L ≥ chlorine residual ≤ 10 mg/L |
Daily monitoring if design flow ≥ 250,000 gallons per day Daily monitoring if 250,000 gallons per day > design flow ≥ 100,000 gallons per day Daily monitoring if 100,000 gallons per day > design flow ≥ 25,000 gallons per day Once every two weeks monitoring if 25,000 gallons per day > design flow ≥ 10,000 gallons per day Quarterly monitoring if design flow < 10,000 gallons per day |
||
|
Total phosphorus |
Monitoring only for daily maximum in mg/L |
Once every two weeks monitoring if design flow ≥ 250,000 gallons per day Monthly monitoring if 250,000 gallons per day > design flow ≥ 100,000 gallons per day Monthly monitoring if 100,000 gallons per day > design flow ≥ 25,000 gallons per day Quarterly monitoring if 25,000 gallons per day > design flow ≥ 10,000 gallons per day |
||
|
Application rate |
Monitoring only for daily maximum in inches per acre per hour |
Monitor daily when applying if design flow ≥ 250,000 gallons per day Monitor daily when applying if 250,000 gallons per day > design flow ≥ 100,000 gallons per day Monitor daily when applying if 100,000 gallons per day > design flow ≥ 25,000 gallons per day Monitor daily when applying if 25,000 gallons per day > design flow ≥ 10,000 gallons per day Monitor daily when applying if design flow < 10,000 gallons per day |
||
|
Total inorganic nitrogena |
10 mg/L (30-day average) |
Twice per week monitoring if design flow ≥ 250,000 gallons per day Twice per week monitoring if 250,000 gallons per day > design flow ≥ 100,000 gallons per day Once every two weeks monitoring if 100,000 gallons per day > design flow ≥ 25,000 gallons per day Monthly monitoring if 25,000 gallons per day > design flow ≥ 10,000 gallons per day Quarterly monitoring if design flow < 10,000 gallons per day |
||
|
Nitrate-nitrogena |
Monitor total inorganic nitrogen in mg/L (30-day average) |
Twice per week monitoring if design flow ≥ 250,000 gallons per day Twice per week monitoring if 250,000 gallons per day > design flow ≥ 100,000 gallons per day Once every two weeks monitoring if 100,000 gallons per day > design flow ≥ 25,000 gallons per day Monthly monitoring if 25,000 gallons per day > design flow ≥ 10,000 gallons per day Quarterly monitoring if design flow < 10,000 gallons per day |
||
|
Application rate ≤ 12 inches per acre per yeara |
Monitor total inorganic nitrogen in mg/L (30-day average) |
Twice per week monitoring if design flow ≥ 250,000 gallons per day Twice per week monitoring if 250,000 gallons per day > design flow ≥ 100,000 gallons per day Once every two weeks monitoring if 100,000 gallons per day > design flow ≥ 25,000 gallons per day Monthly monitoring if 25,000 gallons per day > design flow ≥ 10,000 gallons per day Quarterly monitoring if design flow < 10,000 gallons per day |
Source= Ohio Admin. Code 3745-42-13
* 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.
aOhio provides three options for monitoring and assessing nitrogen in effluent.
Upcoming state law or policy
No upcoming regulations pertaining to water reuse for landscaping were found for Ohio.
References
Clean Water Act, 33 U.S.C. §§ 1251 et seq.
Definitions, Ohio Admin. Code 3745-42-01.
Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), 124 Stat. 3885.
Land Application Systems, Ohio Admin. Code 3745-42-13.
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.