Cook County, IL Water Use Rules: Recycled Water Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit
- Building Commissioner permit required
- Design threshold
- 250 gal/day exempts design-professional rule
- Testing
- Annual cross-connection inspection required
- Signage
- Restroom and equipment room warning signs
- Adopted
- Ord. No. 25-0037, April 10, 2025
Summary
Cook County requires a Building Commissioner permit before installing reclaimed (recycled) water, gray water, or on-site treated nonpotable water systems for buildings in unincorporated Cook County, with mandatory warning signage and annual cross-connection testing.
Where approved or required by the Building Commissioner, alternate water sources [reclaimed (recycled) water, gray water, and on-site treated nonpotable water] shall be permitted to be used instead of potable water for the applications identified in this chapter. ... It shall be unlawful for a person to construct, install, alter, or cause to be constructed, installed, or altered an alternate water source system in a building or on a premise without first obtaining a permit to do such work from the Building Commissioner.
Full Breakdown
Under the County's Alternate Water Sources for Nonpotable Applications article, adopted by Ord. No. 25-0037 (4-10-2025), a permit from the Building Commissioner is required before constructing, installing, or altering any reclaimed (recycled) water, gray water, or on-site treated nonpotable water system. Gray water and single-family on-site treated systems under 250 gallons per day don't need a registered design professional. Restrooms and equipment rooms using recycled water must post specified warning signs, and both water systems must pass an annual cross-connection test conducted with the Building Commissioner present.
Violations & Fines
Constructing, installing, or altering an alternate water source system without first obtaining a Building Commissioner permit is unlawful under Sec. 118-50(3); systems found cross-connected to potable water must be shut down, disconnected, and the potable system chlorinated and retested before use resumes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to install a gray water system in Cook County?
Can gray water be used to irrigate a vegetable garden?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Cook County
Compare Cook County to another location·View the Illinois water use rules overview
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