Landscape Irrigation Application Process

All new development, if applicable, is required to utilize recycled water for irrigation of common areas, parks, and parkways. The City is currently not accepting applications at this time for retrofitting existing potable irrigation. 

If you are beginning a project, please follow this process as part if your building utility plan review:

• Obtain recycled water use permit application (No Fee)
• Submit Irrigation plans to the Community Development Department
  • Must undergo approval by the City, Division of Drinking Water, and Regional Water Quality Control Board
  • Must be designed to utilize recycled water grade materials, have required recycled water signage, and minimize risk of cross connection to potable water systems.
• Required Site inspection, cross connection and coverage tests certification
  • Prior to a recycled water meter being set, a cross connection test must be scheduled with the Utilities Department. Contact kfortner@slocity.org for more information.
• Required site supervisor training. Per CFR Title 22, each site utilizing recycled water must have a single person designated as the Site Supervisor. This person is responsible for submitting site inspection reports to the City four times per year.
• Submittal of an irrigation schedule.
• Permits are issued once all requirements are satisfied.

Recycled water must meet the rigorous standards set forth by the State Water Resources Control Board and California Department of Public Health within Title 22 of the California Code of Regulations.  

When used as approved by the State, recycled water is completely safe for use within the community. Recycled water is the end-product of a multi-stage, advanced treatment process that has multiple water quality sampling done to ensure that it is safe for use.

The Water Resource Recovery Facility (WRRF) infrastructure and treatment upgrades will further enhance the quality of the City’s recycled water and continue to provide the City with safe and readily available recycled water supplies.

If you are interested in learning more about how safe recycled water is for use as a resident utilizing a local park or golf course, or a landscaper working on an irrigation system that utilizes recycled water, please click one of the links below for user-specific information:

Information Sheet Source: Click Here

Recycled Water Irrigation Expansion

Recycled water is currently available to southern portions of the City where it can be minimally pumped into the distribution system. The extent of the Recycled Water service area was developed to consider the high costs of installing pipelines, storage tanks, and other recycled water infrastructure while ensuring the City remains sustainably-minded in reducing energy demand and maximizing recycled water use demand.

New developments within the Recycled Water service area such as Righetti Ranch, Avila Ranch, and San Luis Ranch are required to utilize recycled water for landscape irrigation of common areas, parks, and parkways. To view more details about the City’s plan for expanding where recycled water is used, please click here.

Indirect Potable Reuse

Indirect potable reuse (IPR) is recycled water that has been introduced to an environmental buffer,  either a surface water reservoir or a groundwater system. After rigorous testing, the water is subsequently safe for use as a drinking water supply. IPR is a technically complex process that utilizes a mixture of advanced treatment of recycled water and natural treatment through application to the natural environment (reservoirs or groundwater basins).

As the City moves towards utilizing groundwater as a potable source, capacity created within the groundwater basin may allow for recycled water to be used to recharge the basin during periods when natural recharge from rainfall and percolation from local creeks is not sufficient. The ability to recharge the groundwater basin with recycled water both increases the volume of groundwater available to the community, and makes beneficial use of recycled water which is a locally available, drought resilient water supply.

For more information about the City’s emerging groundwater supply, click here.

Direct Potable Reuse

Direct potable reuse (DPR) occurs when advanced treated recycled water is introduced directly into the drinking water distribution system. Recycled water must undergo significant levels of additional treatment and testing to ensure the water is safe for use by the community. The State of California recently adopted DPR regulations in 2023.

DPR has the potential to increase the City’s existing supply by reducing demand on our traditional source waters - Nacimiento, Salinas, and Whale Rock reservoirs, and making full use of the City’s recycled water supplies.

Please contact City of SLO Utilities Department at (805) 781-7215 for questions and most current information regarding the use of recycled water.