Use of water from wastewater treatment facility — Consideration in regional water supply plan or potable water supply plans — Consideration in reviewing provisions for water supplies for short plat, short subdivision, or subdivision — Report to the legislature.
RCW 90.46.120
in effect(1) The owner of a wastewater treatment facility that is reclaiming water with a permit issued under this chapter has the exclusive right to any reclaimed water generated by the wastewater treatment facility. Use, distribution, storage, and the recovery from storage of reclaimed water permitted under this chapter is exempt from the permit requirements of RCW 90.03.250 and 90.44.060 , provided that a permit for recovery of reclaimed water from aquifer storage shall be reviewed under the standards established under RCW 90.03.370 (2) for aquifer storage and recovery projects. Revenues derived from the reclaimed water facility shall be used only to offset the cost of operation of the wastewater utility fund or other applicable source of systemwide funding. (2) If the proposed use of reclaimed water is to augment or replace potable water supplies or to create the potential for the development of an additional new potable water supply, then regional water supply plans, or any other potable water supply plans prepared by multiple water purveyors, must consider the proposed use of the reclaimed water as they are developed or updated. (a) Regional water supply plans include those adopted under state board of health laws (chapter 43.20 RCW), the public water system coordination act of 1977 (chapter 70A.100 RCW), groundwater protection laws (chapter 90.44 RCW), and the watershed planning act (chapter 90.82 RCW). (b) The requirement to consider the use of reclaimed water does not change the plan approval process established under these statutes. (c) When regional water supply plans are being developed, the owners of wastewater treatment facilities that produce or propose to produce reclaimed water for use within the planning area must be included in the planning process. (3) When reclaimed water is available or is proposed for use under a water supply or wastewater plan developed under chapter 43.20 , 70A.100, 90.44, 90.48, or 90.82 RCW these plans must be coordinated to ensure that opportunities for reclaimed water are evaluated. The requirements of this subsection (3) do not apply to water system plans developed under chapter 43.20 RCW for utilities serving less than one thousand service connections. (4) The provisions of any plan for reclaimed water, developed under the authorities in subsections (2) and (3) of this section, should be included by a city, town, or county in reviewing provisions for water supplies in a proposed short plat, short subdivision, or subdivision under chapter 58.17 RCW, where reclaimed water supplies may be proposed for nonpotable purposes in the short plat, short subdivision, or subdivision. (5) By November 30, 2009, the department of ecology shall review comments from the reclaimed water advisory committee under RCW 90.46.050 and the reclaimed water and water rights advisory committee under the direction of the department of ecology and submit a recommendation to the legislature on the impairment requirements and standards for reclaimed water. The department of ecology shall also provide a report to the legislature that describes the opinions of the stakeholders on the impairment requirements and standards for reclaimed water.
(1) The owner of a wastewater treatment facility that is reclaiming water with a permit issued under this chapter has the exclusive right to any reclaimed water generated by the wastewater treatment facility. Use, distribution, storage, and the recovery from storage of reclaimed water permitted under this chapter is exempt from the permit requirements of RCW 90.03.250 and 90.44.060 , provided that a permit for recovery of reclaimed water from aquifer storage shall be reviewed under the standards established under RCW 90.03.370 (2) for aquifer storage and recovery projects. Revenues derived from the reclaimed water facility shall be used only to offset the cost of operation of the wastewater utility fund or other applicable source of systemwide funding.
(2) If the proposed use of reclaimed water is to augment or replace potable water supplies or to create the potential for the development of an additional new potable water supply, then regional water supply plans, or any other potable water supply plans prepared by multiple water purveyors, must consider the proposed use of the reclaimed water as they are developed or updated.
(a) Regional water supply plans include those adopted under state board of health laws (chapter 43.20 RCW), the public water system coordination act of 1977 (chapter 70A.100 RCW), groundwater protection laws (chapter 90.44 RCW), and the watershed planning act (chapter 90.82 RCW).
(b) The requirement to consider the use of reclaimed water does not change the plan approval process established under these statutes.
(c) When regional water supply plans are being developed, the owners of wastewater treatment facilities that produce or propose to produce reclaimed water for use within the planning area must be included in the planning process.
(3) When reclaimed water is available or is proposed for use under a water supply or wastewater plan developed under chapter 43.20 , 70A.100, 90.44, 90.48, or 90.82 RCW these plans must be coordinated to ensure that opportunities for reclaimed water are evaluated. The requirements of this subsection (3) do not apply to water system plans developed under chapter 43.20 RCW for utilities serving less than one thousand service connections.
(4) The provisions of any plan for reclaimed water, developed under the authorities in subsections (2) and (3) of this section, should be included by a city, town, or county in reviewing provisions for water supplies in a proposed short plat, short subdivision, or subdivision under chapter 58.17 RCW, where reclaimed water supplies may be proposed for nonpotable purposes in the short plat, short subdivision, or subdivision.
(5) By November 30, 2009, the department of ecology shall review comments from the reclaimed water advisory committee under RCW 90.46.050 and the reclaimed water and water rights advisory committee under the direction of the department of ecology and submit a recommendation to the legislature on the impairment requirements and standards for reclaimed water. The department of ecology shall also provide a report to the legislature that describes the opinions of the stakeholders on the impairment requirements and standards for reclaimed water.
Source: WA Statutes (Official Site)URL: https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=90.46&full=trueFetched: 6/29/2026