Summary of Georgia'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 Georgia
- Water reuse treatment category for agriculture
- Additional context and definitions
- Water reuse for agriculture 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 Georgia, water reuse for 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 irrigation of crops not intended for direct human consumption (including feed crops). 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 domestic wastewater (or combination of domestic and industrial 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
Georgia approves the use of reclaimed water for agriculture, including the irrigation of crops not intended for direct human consumption. In Georgia, urban water reuse is expanded to include water reuse for agriculture (among other approved applications). 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). Georgia requires a permit through Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD) and an additional National Pollutant Discharge Elimination Systems (NPDES) permit may be required dependent on whether the wastewater generated exceeds the reclaimed water demand. Georgia requires specific treatment for the reuse of reclaimed water for agriculture in areas where public access is expected. Georgia provides required water quality values for microbial contaminants and other water quality parameters, as well as recommended maximum concentrations for trace elements for water intended for approved irrigation applications, as described in the “Water reuse for agriculture specifications” table, below. 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 developing the specifications and/or removals of microbial contaminants, chemicals and other relevant indicators is not explicitly specified.
Water reuse for agriculture approved for use in Georgia
Georgia DNR (2022) defines the following approved water reuse for agriculture:
- Irrigation of crops not intended for direct human consumption, including feed crops (Reclaimed water - urban water reuse and other expanded uses)
Water reuse treatment category for agriculture
Georgia uses the following definitions of reclaimed water and urban water reuse:
- Reclaimed water: “domestic wastewater or a combination of domestic and industrial wastewater that has been treated to stringent effluent limitations so that the reclaimed water is suitable for use in areas of unrestricted public access” (Georgia DNR, 2022).
- Urban water reuse: “the use of reclaimed water as a substitute for other water sources for the beneficial irrigation of areas that may be accessible to the public. Expanded uses, beyond urban water reuse, may also include fire protection, aesthetic purposes (landscape impoundments and fountains), industrial uses and some agricultural irrigation” (Georgia DNR, 2022).
- Agricultural irrigation means the irrigation of crops not intended for direct human consumption (Georgia DNR, 2022).
The various classes of reclaimed water are defined by their respective treatment requirements and applicable performance standards. The respective treatment requirements are briefly summarized regarding water reuse for agriculture:
- For reclaimed water intended for urban water reuse and other expanded uses, the treatment requirements are secondary treatment followed by filtration and disinfection or equivalent treatment. Equivalent treatment includes other process trains such as physical-chemical treatment followed by membrane filtration that “may provide equivalent results” (Georgia DNR, 2022).
- For reclaimed water intended for agricultural irrigation, Georgia provides recommended maximum concentrations of trace elements (Georgia DNR, 2022).
Additional context and definitions
Monitoring of groundwater and surface water is generally not required for reuse systems in Georgia (Georgia DNR, 2022). However, the EPD may determine that groundwater monitoring is required on a case-by-case basis at the time of permitting. Monitoring of groundwater and surface water will be required on reclaimed water land application systems (RLAS).
All municipal reclaimed water piping must be purple in color, identified with labels or signs as “Reclaimed Water” and a three-foot minimum distance between reclaimed water piping and potable water piping must be maintained (Georgia DNR, 2022). For municipal reclaimed water intended for urban water reuse and other expanded uses, all reclaimed water valves, fire hydrants and outlets must be colored purple and labelled to warn the public and employees that the water is not intended for drinking (Georgia DNR, 2022).
Water reuse for agriculture specifications
Summary of Georgia’s Agriculture Reuse 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)a |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Reclaimed water - Urban water reuse (includes expanded uses related to agriculture) |
Domestic wastewater (or combination of domestic and industrial wastewater) |
5-day biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5) |
≤5 mg/L |
Weekly and may be increased if deemed necessary upon notification by the EPD. |
|
Total suspended solids (TSS) |
≤5 mg/L |
|||
|
Turbidityb |
≤3 NTU |
Continuous monitoring of filtered water prior to disinfection |
||
|
pH |
6–9 standard units |
Daily and may be increased if deemed necessary upon notification by the EPD. |
||
|
Disinfectant residual |
Detectable at the delivery pointc |
Monitoring includes activities such as measuring chlorine residual or the inspection, calibration and recording of UV output and transmittance at the delivery point. |
||
|
E. coli |
≤ 20 counts/100 mL (monthly geometric mean) ≤ 40 counts/100 mL (weekly geometric mean) 75 counts/100 mL (single sample maximum) |
Daily and may be increased if deemed necessary upon notification by the EPD. |
||
|
Enterococcid |
≤ 4 counts/100 mL (monthly geometric mean) ≤ 8 counts/100 mL (weekly geometric mean) 9 counts/100 mL (single sample maximum) |
Daily and may be increased if deemed necessary upon notification by the EPD. |
||
|
Aluminum (Al)e |
≤5 mg/L |
Not specified |
||
|
Arsenic (As)e |
≤0.10 mg/L |
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|
Beryllium (Be)e |
≤0.10 mg/L |
|||
|
Cadmium (Cd)e |
≤0.01 mg/L |
|||
|
Cobalt (Co)e |
≤0.05 mg/L |
|||
|
Chromium (Cr)e |
≤0.10 mg/L |
|||
|
Copper (Cu)e |
≤0.20 mg/L |
|||
|
Fluoride (F)e |
≤1.0 mg/L |
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|
Iron (Fe)e |
≤5.0 mg/L |
|||
|
Lithium (Li)e |
≤2.5 mg/L |
|||
|
Manganese (Mn)e |
≤0.20 mg/L |
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|
Molybdenum (Mo)e |
≤0.01 mg/L |
|||
|
Nickel (Ni)e |
≤0.20 mg/L |
|||
|
Lead (Pb)e |
≤5.0 mg/L |
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|
Selenium (Se)e |
≤0.02 mg/L |
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|
Vanadium (V)e |
≤0.10 mg/L |
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|
Zinc (Zn)e |
≤2.0 mg/L |
Source= Georgia DNR (2022)
a All sampling and analysis shall adhere to the requirements of 40 CFR 136 unless otherwise stated in the permit. The operations manual must address the routine equipment inspection and calibration schedule (Georgia DNR, 2022).
b Any water exceeding 3 NTU should be automatically rejected. Routine calibration of turbidimeter and other online analyzers should be performed.
c Strongly recommended (Georgia DNR, 2022).
d Enterococci are used as water quality criterion instead of E. coli only for facilities discharging treated wastewater to marine waters under an NPDES permit and that are required to meet EPD reuse standards and/or that are supplying reuse water on a side-stream basis (Georgia DNR, 2022).
e Recommended maximum concentrations based on the United States Golf Association’s Water Reuse for Golf Course Irrigation (Georgia DNR, 2022).
Upcoming state law or policy
No upcoming regulations pertaining to water reuse for agriculture were found for Georgia.
References
Clean Water Act, 33 U.S.C. §§ 1251 et seq.
Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), 124 Stat. 3885.
Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Environmental Protection Division (DNR). 2022. Guidelines for Water Reclamation and Urban Water Reuse.
United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), 40 CFR Part 136. Guidelines Establishing Test Procedures for the Analysis of Pollutants Under the Clean Water Act, Final Rule and Interim Final Rule and Proposed Rule. Federal Register.
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