Citrus County, FL Water Use Rules: Recycled Water Rules (2026)

3 of the Citrus County Land Development Code, part of the Cardinal Mixed Use (CMU) District development standards adopted under Ordinance 2026-A16 (effective June 22, 2026), requires new development within the Cardinal Street Interim Master Area (IMA) to install a separate reclaimed water distribution system. The stated purpose is to promote beneficial reuse of available reclaimed water rather than relying only on potable water for irrigation and other non-drinking uses. The code defines 'available reclaimed water' precisely: a source meeting applicable regulatory requirements for public access, with enough capacity to serve the development, must sit within 1,000 feet of the site, or be in the planning and design stages with a five-year path to meeting those requirements.

3 instead requires the project to reserve a pipeline route within the roadway right-of-way so a reclaimed water main can be installed once service becomes available. 2. The Cardinal Street IMA covers a defined geographic area shown on the LDC's Figure 1 map, not the whole county, so property outside that overlay is not bound by this section. The rule has no effect inside the City of Crystal River or the City of Inverness, both of which administer their own municipal codes separate from Citrus County's Land Development Code.

The Growth Management Department's Land Development Division reviews site development plans and plats for compliance with Chapter Three utility standards, including this reclaimed water subsection, before approving new development in the IMA.