Multnomah County, OR Water Use Rules: Recycled Water Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Allowed use
- MCC § 39.4220(Y), EFU zone
- State permit required
- Oregon DEQ under ORS 468B.050/.053/.055
- Septage treatment
- portable, truck-transportable equipment only
- Also governed by
- ORS 215.246 to 215.251
- Permitted purpose
- agricultural, horticultural, silvicultural use or irrigation
Summary
Multnomah County's Exclusive Farm Use zone allows landowners to land-apply reclaimed water, industrial process water or biosolids for irrigation and crop production under MCC 39.4220(Y), but only with an Oregon DEQ license or permit under specific water-quality statutes governing where and how the application can occur.
(Y) Land application of reclaimed water, agricultural or industrial process water or biosolids or the onsite treatment of septage prior to the land application of biosolids, for agricultural, horticultural or silvicultural production, or for irrigation in connection with a use allowed in the Exclusive Farm Use zone. Subject to the issuance of a license, permit or other approval by the Department of Environmental Quality under ORS 454.695, 459.205, 468B.050, 468B.053 or 468B.055, or in compliance with rules adopted under ORS 468B.095, and as provided in ORS 215.246 to 215.251.
Full Breakdown
4220(Y) is one of the EFU zone's allowed uses: land application of reclaimed water, agricultural or industrial process water, or biosolids, plus the onsite treatment of septage before biosolids application, for agricultural, horticultural or silvicultural production or for irrigation tied to a use already allowed in the EFU zone. 251 governing land application on farmland. 580, and only during the period a DEQ license, permit or approval for the biosolids application remains in effect. The county's role under this paragraph is to confirm the activity fits the EFU zone's allowed-use list; the substantive water-quality permitting and enforcement sits with DEQ, not county code enforcement.
Violations & Fines
Land-applying reclaimed water, process water or biosolids without the required DEQ license or permit exceeds the allowed use in MCC 39.4220(Y) and can trigger both a county zoning violation and a separate DEQ enforcement action under the cited water pollution control statutes. Treating septage onsite with stationary or permanent equipment, instead of the portable, truck-transportable facilities the paragraph requires, forfeits the onsite-treatment allowance entirely.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a farm in unincorporated Multnomah County use recycled water for irrigation?
What permit do I need before applying biosolids to farmland?
Can I install a permanent treatment plant to treat septage before spreading it as biosolids?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Multnomah County
Compare Multnomah County to another location·View the Oregon water use rules overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.