Texas Chapter 210 Reclaimed Water Permits: Type I vs. Type II and When You Need One
Texas is running out of water. Not next century. Now.
Aquifers supplying Dallas, San Antonio, and hundreds of smaller communities are being drawn down faster than they recharge. State population projections show millions of new residents arriving over the next two decades, and the infrastructure to serve them is already strained.
One solution has been on the books since 1997. Under 30 TAC Chapter 210, Texas authorizes the treatment and beneficial reuse of domestic and municipal wastewater for non-potable applications including residential irrigation, golf course maintenance, dust control, and industrial cooling. It is one of the most practical tools available to developers, municipalities, and utilities navigating Texas water scarcity, and one of the most overlooked.
The framework splits permitted uses into two categories: Type I and Type II. The category your project falls into determines your treatment standards, your operational restrictions, and whether your TCEQ application moves quickly or stalls. Here is what you need to know.