Summary of Wyoming'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 Wyoming
• 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 Wyoming, water reuse for agriculture water reuse for agricultureThe use of recycled water to land to assist in the production of both commercially and non-commercially processed food crops consumed by humans or livestock and non-food crops. Includes pasture for milking and non-milking animals, fodder, fiber, and seed crops, vineyards, orchards, ornamental nursery stock, Christmas trees, and silviculture. Excludes consumption by livestock, onsite non-potable reuse, and landscaping. includes irrigation of land with a high, moderate and low potential for public exposure and irrigation of direct and indirect human consumption food crops. 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. 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

Wyoming approves the use of municipal wastewater for agriculture, including irrigation of land with a high, moderate and low potential for public exposure where food crops for both direct and indirect human consumption are grown (020-0011-11 Wyo. Code R. § 11). 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). All wastewater reuse applications are regulated by the state and require a Chapter 3 permit from the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality. 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 Wyoming

020-0011-11 Wyo. Code R. § 11 defines the following approved water reuse for agriculture:

• Irrigation of land with a high potential for public exposure (Class A)
• Irrigation of land with a moderate potential for public exposure (Class B)
• Irrigation of direct human consumption food crops (Class B)
• Irrigation of land with a low potential for public exposure (Class C)
• Irrigation of indirect human consumption food crops (Class C)

Water reuse treatment category for agriculture

The various classes of reclaimed water treatment are defined by their respective treatment requirements and applicable performance standards. The respective treatment requirements are briefly summarized regarding water reuse for agriculture (020-0011-11 Wyo. Code R. § 11):

• For Class A wastewater, advanced and/or secondary treatment and a level of disinfection to meet the fecal coliform level are required. 
• For Class B wastewater, secondary treatment and a level of disinfection to meet the fecal coliform level is required. 
• For Class C wastewater, primary treatment and a level of disinfection to meet the fecal coliform level (provided in the table) is required. 

Additional context and definitions

Wyoming defines municipal wastewater as the discharge from a publicly owned or controlled treatment system receiving primarily domestic wastewater or a combination of domestic, commercial and industrial wastewater that is normally treated in a primary, secondary or advanced wastewater treatment process (020-0011-11 Wyo. Code R. § 11). Treated wastewater is defined as domestic sewage discharged from a treatment works after completion of the treatment process (020-0011-11 Wyo. Code R. § 11).

In Wyoming, agricultural land is defined as land on which a food crop, a feed crop or a fiber crop is grown (020-0011-11 Wyo. Code R. § 11). This includes range land and land used as pasture. “Direct human consumption food crops” are crops consumed directly by humans. Direct human consumption food crops include, but are not limited to fruits, vegetables and grains grown for human consumption (020-0011-11 Wyo. Code R. § 11). “Indirect human consumption crop” are crops utilized by grazing animals and are thereby one step removed from human consumption (020-0011-11 Wyo. Code R. § 11).

Wyoming provides definitions for high, moderate and low potential for public exposure (020-0011-11 Wyo. Code R. § 11). These definitions are provided:

• “Land with a high potential for public exposure” is land that the public uses frequently and there are no restrictions or limitations on public access during irrigation periods. This includes, but is not limited to public parks, ball fields, cemeteries, plant nurseries, turf farms, golf courses and a reclamation site located in a populated area (e.g., a construction site located in a city).
• “Land with moderate potential for public exposure” is land that is accessible to the public but access is limited during irrigation periods. This would include the facilities where signing and fencing is provided to restrict access.
• “Land with a low potential for public exposure” is land that the public uses infrequently. This includes, but is not limited to agricultural land, forest and a reclamation site located in an unpopulated area (e.g., a strip mine located in a rural area).

If Class A or Class B wastewater is reused for irrigation, a 30-foot buffer zone is required between the reuse site and adjacent property lines (020-0011-11 Wyo. Code R. § 11). Fencing and signing shall be provided at sites where Class B treated wastewater is proposed for reuse on land with a moderate potential for public exposure (020-0011-11 Wyo. Code R. § 11). Signing shall be provided at sites where Class B or Class C treated wastewater is proposed for reuse on land with a low potential for public exposure in order to protect the health and safety of workers (020-0011-11 Wyo. Code R. § 11). 

Water reuse for agriculture specifications

Summary of Wyoming's Water Reuse for Agriculture Specifications

Source= 020-0011-11 Wyo. Code R. § 11

* 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 Wyoming provides separate numerical water quality criteria for special situations, including continuous and unrestricted irrigation of parks, playgrounds, highway rest areas and rights-of-way (R.O.W.s) or domestic, commercial and industrial grounds with treated municipal wastewater effluent (020-0011-11 Wyo. Code R. § 11(E), Section 55. It is not specified which classes these criteria apply to (e.g., Class A, Class B, Class C).

Upcoming state law or policy

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

References

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

Design and Construction Standards for Sewerage System, Treatment Works, Disposal Systems, or Other Facilities Capable of Causing or Contributing to Pollution and Mobile Home Park and Campground Sewerage and Public Water Supply Distribution Systems, 020-0011-11 Wyo. Code R. § 11

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

Part E - Standards for the Application of Biosolids and the Reuse of Treated Non-Domestic Wastewater, 020-0011-11 Wyo. Code R. § 11(E).

---

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.