Reclaimed and recycled water programs are limited in Westchester compared with arid regions, but the county supports rainwater harvesting and graywater pilots consistent with NY plumbing code and DEC water-reuse guidance for irrigation only.
Westchester does not operate a large-scale purple-pipe reclaimed-water distribution system. Most water reuse occurs at the parcel scale through rainwater capture for landscape irrigation. New York State plumbing code allows graywater for subsurface irrigation under specific permit conditions, and DEC regulates any treated effluent reuse. The county Health Department reviews on-site reuse systems for cross-connection control. Drinking-water reuse is not authorized for residential properties.
Installing graywater or reclaimed-water plumbing without proper permits can trigger plumbing-code violations and orders to remove the system. Cross-connections to potable supply are serious public-health violations and may carry significant penalties.
See how Westchester County's recycled water rules rules stack up against other locations.
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