LIRPC

Water Reuse

Water reuse is a process where wastewater, stormwater, or graywater (non-sewage wastewater from sinks, baths, and laundry) is treated to an appropriate level and used for another purpose, such as irrigation, before being discharged to the environment. Properly treated wastewater effluent has been reused around the country and the world to achieve water conservation and environmental protection goals, e.g. reduce nutrient inputs to surface waters and groundwater, to reduce pressure on local water supplies, and replenish aquifers. Facilitating wider adoption of this practice for additional nitrogen removal is an early action item in the Long Island Nitrogen Action Plan Scope.

The LINAP Water Reuse Advisory Workgroup was established to explore wastewater reuse as a possible means of achieving additional nitrogen removal prior to discharge to groundwater and surface waters on Long Island.  This workgroup advises the LINAP Project Management Team on the direction of the water reuse component of LINAP; it is not a decision-making body. 

Water Reuse Roadmap

LINAP’s Treated Wastewater Reuse Roadmap is an interactive pdf document that takes users (principally municipalities and engineering/consulting firms) through the steps in DEC’s environmental permitting process as it relates to the 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 intended to be a general guide for the permitting process for water reuse – specific requirements may vary due to features of individual projects. The document also includes relevant contact information and links to DEC and external webpages, which may be updated periodically, as needed.

Treated Wastewater Reuse Roadmap (PDF, 634 KB)

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, including golf course irrigation. Using this water for golf courses has multiple benefits:

  • reducing the amount of nitrogen pollution entering Long Island’s waterways
  • reducing the amount of nitrogen, a golf course uses for fertilization
  • lowering 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 water. The layers tool on the map allows users to visualize a set range of distances from any wastewater treatment facility by displaying circles around these facilities – see if any golf course (or other location of interest to you) falls within these circles to get a general idea of proximity or use the measure tool to determine more accurate distances.

Water Reuse Opportunities: Golf Courses – interactive map

Water Reuse Fact Sheet

A fact sheet has been developed to summarize LINAP efforts to address some of the challenges and needs identified by the Water Reuse Advisory Workgroup. These efforts include a permitting roadmap and an interactive GIS map to help determine locations where water reuse projects may be achievable, with a focus on golf course irrigation. The fact sheet is available for download.

Water Reuse fact sheet – (PDF, 290 KB)

Workgroup Meetings

October 2018 – The meeting agenda included local water reuse updates and demonstrated the draft “Treated Wastewater Reuse Roadmap”. The Roadmap was recommended by the workgroup to assist interested parties in navigating the permitting process for projects involving the reuse of treated sanitary effluent. The meeting also included a presentation by Sandra Menasha form Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County on the federal Food Safety Modernization Act and its potential effects on agricultural water reuse.

November 2017 – Members were introduced to the current regulatory framework for water reuse projects and given an overview of the types of reuse applications that are being used around the country. Members participated in a general discussion on the potential benefits of, and the needs and challenges associated with, water reuse on Long Island.