Water Reuse

Water Reuse

Water reuse is a process where wastewater, storm water, or graywater (non-sewage wastewater from sinks, baths and laundry) is treated to an appropriate level and used for another purpose. Reusing, or recycling, water is an effective way to conserve water and can even reduce how much nitrogen enters the waterway.

LINAP identified water reuse as a potential way to reduce nitrogen pollution. LINAP is working to encourage water reuse throughout Long Island, especially in construction and infrastructure retrofits.

Benefits of Water Reuse

Benefits of reusing or recycling water include:

• Increased Water Conservation – Reusing water can reduce the need for drawing water from natural water bodies and aquifers. On Long Island, drinking water comes from our sole-source aquifer, reducing the need to draw water from it can have benefits such as more sustainable withdrawal practices, prevent saltwater intrusion, and more.
• Reliable Non-Water Supply – As populations expand, cities and towns need more water to support new homes and businesses. Water reuse can help to meet these growing water needs because it creates a sustainable and reliable water supply for non-potable uses from water that would otherwise be unused. – As populations expand, cities and towns need more water to support new homes and businesses. Water reuse can help to meet these growing water needs because it creates a sustainable and reliable water supply for non-potable uses from water that would otherwise be unused.
• Improved Water Quality – Water reuse collects water so that it can be used again within a community. This practice can reduce pollutant discharges, such as nitrogen and other nutrients.

Water Reuse on Long Island

Did you know many wastewater treatment plants on Long Island already reuse their treated effluent for process equipment cleaning and process tank washdowns? Other opportunities for water reuse on Long Island include: 

• New Developments – As new developments are constructed, it is more cost-effective to plan for water reuse from the ground up, rather than having to go back and retrofit infrastructure. Use the LINAP Treated Wastewater Reuse Roadmap to better understand the permitting process for these projects. 
• Infrastructure Retrofits – Redevelopment projects are an opportunity to implement innovative water projects that create a reliable water supply and lower pressure on the public water supply. There are examples across the country where redevelopment projects look for ways to include non-potable water reuse systems. One regionally relevant case study is the Domino District Non-Potable Water Reuse Project in Brooklyn, NY. Visit EPA’s website to read more about this project.

Water Reuse Advisory Workgroup

The LINAP Water Reuse Advisory Workgroup was established to explore the opportunities, challenges, and nitrogen reduction potentials associated with water reuse on Long Island. Two important resources came out of the Workgroup - the Treated Wastewater Reuse Roadmap and the Potential Water Reuse Opportunities Interactive Map. 

Treated Water Reuse Road Map

The LINAP Treated Wastewater Reuse Roadmap (PDF) is an interactive document that takes users (principally municipalities and engineering/consulting firms) through the steps of DEC's environmental permitting process for reuse of treated municipal effluent. The roadmap was created in consultation with the LINAP Water Reuse Advisory Workgroup, with input from DEC's Division of Water and Division of Environmental Permits, and is a general guide for water reuse permitting, subject to specific requirements that may vary due to features of individual projects. The document also includes contact information and links to DEC and external webpages.

Potential Water Reuse Opportunities Interactive Map: Golf Course

Treated effluent from centralized wastewater treatment facilities can be used as a source of non-potable water for various purposes. Using this water for irrigation at golf courses has multiple benefits:

• potentially reduces the amount of nitrogen a golf course uses for fertilization
• diverts nitrogen from waterbodies to properties where nitrogen can be used by turf grass and other plants
• reduces the demand on Long Island's sole-source aquifer

This interactive map shows the location of golf courses in Nassau and Suffolk counties, as well as the location of wastewater treatment facilities, both municipal and private. Click on map features within the application to learn more information about a treatment facility, including its design flow/flow limit and current receiving waterbody. The layers tool allows users to visualize a set range of distances from any wastewater treatment facility by displaying circles around these facilities. This can be used to see if any golf course (or other location of interest to you) falls within these circles to get a general idea of proximity. Use the measure tool to determine more accurate distances.

Related Reference Materials

• Potential Reuses of Greywater and Reclaimed Wastewater in New York State (PDF) - A feasibility study conducted by DEC as required by New York State’s 2005 Water Efficiency and Reuse Law. This study explores the potential of two water sources for reuse: greywater and reclaimed wastewater.
• National Water Reuse Action Plan: Collaborative Implementation (Version 1) - Lead by EPA, this National Action Plan identifies action leaders, partners and implementation milestones. View the progress of all WRAP actions at the WRAP Online Platform tool.
• 2012 Guidelines for Water Reuse- This EPA document is a comprehensive summary of reuse guidelines, with supporting information, for the benefit of utilities of utilities and regulatory agencies.
• Seatuck Environmental Association – Long Island Water Reuse Roadmap & Action Plan  – This webpage outlines Seatuck’s work on understanding where water reuse may be implemented across Long Island. LINAP’s water reuse initiative was used as the basis for this work.