Putnam County, FL Water Use Rules: Recycled Water Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Putnam County Code § 45-659(c)
- Applies to
- New subdivisions containing a golf course
- Requirement
- Install reclaimed water or on-site surface water lines
- Use
- Primary irrigation supply for the golf course
- Trigger
- Central utility provider unavailable to the development
- Enforcing agency
- Planning and Development Services; code enforcement board
Summary
In unincorporated Putnam County, any new subdivision built around a golf course must install lines for reclaimed water or on-site surface water and use that supply as the course's primary irrigation source, per Code § 45-659(c). The rule pairs with a requirement to install on-site central water and sewer whenever a central utility provider cannot serve the subdivision.
(c)Golf courses. Subdivisions containing golf courses shall be required to install on-site central water and sewer systems for the entire subdivision, where a central utility provider is not available to provide service to the development. In addition, such development shall install lines for reclaimed water or on-site surface water to be used as the primary irrigation for the golf course.
Full Breakdown
Section 45-659 sits in the subdivision design standards (LDC Division 12) and governs water, wastewater and reclaimed-water utilities for new subdivisions in unincorporated Putnam County. Subsection (b) requires new subdivisions to install water and wastewater lines and a lift station, with exceptions for subdivisions under 20 lots or lots of a half acre or more. Subsection (c) singles out golf-course subdivisions: because a golf course is one of the county's largest irrigation users, any subdivision built around one must install on-site central water and sewer for the whole development where no utility provider can serve it, and must also install reclaimed-water lines, or connect to on-site surface water, so the course itself draws its primary irrigation supply from something other than the potable system.
Planning and Development Services reviews these systems during subdivision plan approval under §§ 45-993 through 45-995, and Public Works signs off on the utility design. The rule connects to the general landscaping irrigation standard at § 45-515(d), which separately tells developers to use reclaimed or non-potable water for irrigation if a source is available, so a golf-course developer cannot claim no reclaimed source exists once the subdivision's own lines are in place. There is no numeric gallons-per-day cap in the text; the mandate is the installation obligation itself, triggered by the presence of a golf course in the plat.
Violations & Fines
Failure to install the required reclaimed-water or surface-water irrigation lines for a golf-course subdivision is a Land Development Code violation enforceable under LDC Article XII (§ 45-961 et seq.). Planning and Development Services can withhold or revoke development approval, and county code enforcement can refer the case to the code enforcement board for a hearing and administrative fine, consistent with the department's canvassing and referral duties under § 45-963(7).
Frequently Asked Questions
Does every new golf course in Putnam County have to use reclaimed water?
What if the subdivision already has central utility service?
Who reviews the reclaimed-water lines before construction?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Putnam County
Florida rules heatmap·Compare Putnam County to another location·View the Florida water use rules overview
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