Lee County, FL Water Use Rules: Recycled Water Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing agency
- Lee County Utilities (LCU)
- New-customer lead time
- Apply 90 days before connecting
- On-site storage trigger
- Required above 50,000 gallons/day demand
- Well setback
- 75 feet from potable water supply well
- Prohibited uses
- Pools, hot tubs, fire protection, indoor use
- Enforcement tool
- Civil citation under F.S. Ch. 162, Pt. II
Summary
Every customer of a Lee County Utilities reclaimed water system needs a permit before connecting, applied for at least 90 days ahead of hookup. The rules ban cross-connecting reclaimed lines to potable water, filling pools or hot tubs with it, and above-ground hose bibs, and require on-site storage above 50,000 gallons a day.
(a)This article will be known and may be cited as the "County Reclaimed Water Ordinance."(b)The purpose of this article is to establish uniform requirements and a program of inspections and permitting for customers of all of the County's reclaimed water systems and enable the County to comply with all applicable federal and State laws, including the Clean Water Act (33 USC 1251 et seq.), and F.A.C. Chs. 62-600, 62-601, and 62-610. As part of the program, Lee County Utilities (LCU) shall implement the following objectives:(1)To distribute reclaimed water, generated at a POTW owned and maintained by LCU for beneficial use;(2)To prevent any discharges of reclaimed water resulting in a violation of federal or state laws governing the use of reclaimed water...(5)To promote and improve opportunities for the beneficial use of reclaimed wastewater.(c)The article is applicable to existing and proposed LCU regional reuse service areas.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 7 | Land Development Code: Supplement 3 Update 3).
Full Breakdown
Lee County's Reclaimed Water Ordinance, codified at Sec. 29-52 through 29-62, governs every existing and proposed LCU regional reuse service area. A potential new customer must apply for and obtain a permit at least 90 days before connecting, and an existing customer seeking a larger allocation must apply 90 days before the new allocation takes effect (Sec. 29-55(a)). LCU sets the allocation using the customer's calculated irrigation demand, or an engineer's demand analysis for non-irrigation uses (Sec. 29-56(a)), and any customer whose demand exceeds 50,000 gallons per day must provide on-site storage, sized to at least the customer's annual average daily demand (Sec.
29-56(b)). Meters three inches or smaller must be in-ground; larger meters must be above-ground on the owner's site (Sec. 29-56(c)). Sec. 29-57 layers on hard prohibitions: cross-connecting a reclaimed system with any other water supply is 'specifically prohibited,' reclaimed application areas cannot sit within 75 feet of an existing or proposed potable well, sites must post County-approved public notice signs, and lines must use pantone-purple pipe with a locking curb stop. Reclaimed water may never enter a residential dwelling, serve as a fire-protection source, run to an above-ground hose bib, or fill a swimming pool, hot tub, wading pool or spa (Sec. 29-57(e)). Existing customers were transitioned from older agreements onto the permit system over a three-year period after the ordinance's 2017 enactment.
Violations & Fines
Sec. 29-62 lets the reclaimed water coordinator or County Code Enforcement issue a written notice of violation with a compliance deadline (a minimum of ten days unless a shorter period is warranted); if the customer misses it, delivery of reclaimed water can be cut off without further notice. A discharge that reaches state waters or risks a POTW permit violation triggers immediate termination with notice given afterward. The County may instead issue a civil citation under F.S. Ch. 162, Pt. II, or pursue an injunction, damages or other legal action, and can recover attorney's fees, enforcement costs and any penalties the state or federal government imposes on the County because of the customer's violation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I fill my swimming pool with reclaimed water in Lee County?
How far must reclaimed irrigation stay from a drinking water well?
What happens if I connect reclaimed water to my house plumbing?
How long does it take to get a reclaimed water hookup approved?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Lee County
Florida rules heatmap·Compare Lee County to another location·View the Florida water use rules overview
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