Rapid City, SD Water Use Rules: Recycled Water Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Minimum graywater flow
- 40 gallons per person per day
- Tank retention time
- 3 days minimum
- New system permit fee
- $300
- Permit term
- Up to 6 years
- Enforcing agency
- Public Works Director
- General penalty
- $1-$500 or 30 days jail, per day
Summary
Rapid City lets property owners recycle graywater from sinks, tubs and washers under Municipal Code Chapter 13.20's onsite wastewater rules. A graywater system must handle at least 40 gallons of flow per person per day, provide three days of tank retention, and use a tank meeting septic tank standards. Treated effluent can flush toilets, feed an absorption field or seepage pit, or irrigate lawns and non-food growing areas, but only after percolation testing confirms the soil can absorb it.
A graywater system shall be designed in accordance with the following criteria: A. All graywater treatment and recycle systems shall be located in accordance with the distances specified in ARSD § 74:53:01:19, Table 1; B. Design of graywater systems for homes or cabins shall be based on a minimum graywater flow of 40 gallons per day per person. Three days retention time shall be provided for each graywater tank. For other facilities, the design flow shall be specified on a case-by-case basis by the Secretary; C. Graywater tanks are septic tanks and shall conform to the requirements for septic tanks as specified in ARSD § 74:53:01:23; D. Effluent from graywater systems may be recycled for toilet use, conveyed to absorption fields, mounds, or seepage pits, or used for irrigation of lawns and areas not intended for food production. Percolation tests shall be conducted, and the minimum size of absorption area shall be determined in accordance with ARSD §§ 74:53:01:29 to 74:53:01:32, inclusive.
Full Breakdown
670). 560 sets the design criteria: graywater treatment and recycle systems must meet the setback distances listed in ARSD § 74:53:01:19, Table 1; homes and cabins must design for a minimum flow of 40 gallons per person per day with three days of retention in the tank; and graywater tanks must meet the same construction standards as septic tanks under ARSD § 74:53:01:23. Effluent may be recycled for toilet flushing or routed to an absorption field, mound, or seepage pit, or used to irrigate lawns and other areas not growing food, but the code requires percolation tests and an absorption area sized under ARSD §§ 74:53:01:29 through 74:53:01:32 first. 800). 810).
Violations & Fines
Operating a graywater or other onsite wastewater system without a current sewerage permit, or violating any Chapter 13.20 design or maintenance requirement, exposes the owner to the general penalty in Rapid City Municipal Code § 1.12.010: a fine of $1 to $500, up to 30 days in jail, or both, with each day the violation continues counted as a separate offense (§13.20.870). If a failing system creates an imminent health hazard, the Public Works Director can suspend the sewerage permit and order the system shut down until repairs are made.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I reuse graywater to flush toilets in Rapid City?
Does a Rapid City graywater system need a permit?
What size graywater tank does Rapid City require?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Rapid City
Compare Rapid City to another location·View the South Dakota water use rules overview
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