Anaheim vs Costa Mesa
How do recycled water rules rules compare between Anaheim, CA and Costa Mesa, CA?
Costa Mesa has fewer restrictions than Anaheim.
Anaheim, CA
Orange County
Anaheim Public Utilities supplies tertiary-treated recycled water for approved irrigation, cooling, and construction uses, requiring purple-pipe separation, signage, cross-connection control, and an APU recycled water use permit.
View full Anaheim rules →Costa Mesa, CA
Orange County
Orange County operates the world's largest potable water reuse system, the Groundwater Replenishment System, blending advanced-treated wastewater into the basin that supplies most of north and central county.
View full Costa Mesa rules →Key Facts Comparison
| Fact | Anaheim | Costa Mesa |
|---|---|---|
| Pipe color | Purple | - |
| Standard | California Title 22 | - |
| Allowed | Irrigation, cooling, dust | - |
| Banned | Drinking, residential pools | - |
| GWRS capacity | - | 130+ MGD |
| Operators | - | OCWD and OCSD |
| Treatment steps | - | MF, RO, UV/H2O2 |
| Code | - | CA Title 17 |
Highlighted rows indicate differences between cities.
Anaheim FAQ
Is recycled water cheaper than potable?
Yes. APU prices recycled water below potable rates to encourage qualifying landscape and industrial customers to convert eligible uses.
Can homeowners get a recycled water hookup?
Generally no. Recycled water service in Anaheim targets parks, HOAs, commercial irrigation, and industrial users, not individual single-family homes.
Costa Mesa FAQ
Is recycled water safe to drink?
GWRS water meets or exceeds drinking water standards but is injected to the aquifer first for additional travel time and blending before reaching customer taps.
What is purple-pipe water?
Recycled water for irrigation only, identified by purple pipes and signage. It is not for drinking, cooking, or filling pools, and requires cross-connection control.
Compare other topics
See how Anaheim and Costa Mesa compare on other ordinance categories.
Want to add a third city?
Use our full comparison tool to compare up to three cities.
Open Comparison Tool