Manchester does not operate a recycled or reclaimed water distribution system. The Wastewater Treatment Plant on the Merrimack River discharges treated effluent under NPDES permit rather than supplying purple-pipe irrigation.
Unlike water-stressed western cities, Manchester has not built reclaimed-water infrastructure. Treated effluent from the city's Wastewater Treatment Plant on the Merrimack River is discharged under federal NPDES permit standards administered by EPA Region 1 and NH DES. Some commercial properties capture rainwater for irrigation, which is allowed without permit so long as systems do not connect to potable plumbing. Industrial users requiring process water rely on MWW potable supply or private withdrawals permitted by NH DES under RSA 485. There is no city ordinance restricting non-potable reuse on private property.
Cross-connecting non-potable sources to MWW plumbing is a serious code violation under state plumbing code, with backflow remediation costs typically exceeding $1,000.
See how Manchester's recycled water rules rules stack up against other locations.
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