Greensboro operates a reclaimed water program from the T.Z. Osborne and North Buffalo wastewater plants, supplying treated effluent for industrial cooling, golf course irrigation, and select commercial customers under permitted bulk-fill arrangements.
Reclaimed water meets North Carolina Type 1 standards and is distributed through dedicated purple-pipe infrastructure to qualifying customers. Approved uses include cooling tower makeup water, ornamental landscape irrigation, fire suppression where allowed, dust control on construction sites, and industrial process water. Cross-connection control is mandatory and inspected annually. Reclaimed water is not approved for drinking, food preparation, or unrestricted residential garden use. The program supports drought resilience under CARP by reducing potable demand from Lake Brandt, Lake Townsend, and Lake Higgins during stress periods.
Misuse of reclaimed water for drinking or unauthorized purposes can result in service termination and civil penalties under state Department of Environmental Quality rules. Cross-connection violations are taken especially seriously by Water Resources.
Greensboro, NC
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Greensboro, NC
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See how Greensboro's recycled water rules rules stack up against other locations.
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