Who sets health standards for recycled water?

The California Department of Public Health (DPH) establishes and enforces the standards for recycled water. The DPH has established water quality standards and treatment reliability criteria for recycled water. These regulations guide the production, distribution, and use of recycled water.


Both the District and the customers using the water for irrigation must meet State requirements for recycled water. The District’s Recycled Water Program has been approved by the DPH, and any expanded program will be too. In addition, the California Regional Water Quality Control Boards issues water recycling permits based on the established DPH regulations.


In addition to meeting standards to protect human health, Napa Sanitation District’s recycled water is also analyzed to ensure it meets “agronomic standards.” This means that the water must be tested for parameters and constituents that are relevant to growing crops, such as total salinity, sodium, calcium, magnesium, nitrogen, and phosphorus. This information is provided to recycled water users so that they can adjust fertilization and irrigation practices to most successfully use recycled water.

Show All Answers

1. What is recycled water?
2. Who sets health standards for recycled water?
3. How can recycled water be used?
4. What will happen if children or pets come into contact with recycled water?
5. How is recycled water kept separate from potable water?
6. What are the benefits of using recycled water?
7. What is the cost of recycled water?
8. How reliable is the recycled water supply?
9. Where is recycled water available?
10. When is recycled water available?
11. Is recycled water available in the Coombsville / Milliken-Sarco-Tulocay (MST) area?