Richmond, VA Water Use Rules: Recycled Water Rules (2026)

Division 8 of Chapter 28 exists to impose conservation measures when the State water protection permit issued to the City by the State Department of Environmental Quality for water withdrawn from the James River requires it, or when the Governor or another state or federal authority declares an emergency and authorizes the City to enforce mandatory conservation. Under those triggers, the Chief Administrative Officer declares voluntary measures (Sec. 28-884) or mandatory measures (Sec. 28-885), covering fountains, paved-area washing, pool filling, vegetable gardens, vehicle washing, restaurants, utility flushing, established landscape watering by odd/even address, new landscape, and golf courses.

Section 28-882(c) then lists two carve-outs. The first lets the Chief Administrative Officer exempt any governmental activity, institution, business, residence, or industry for public health and safety, prevention of severe economic hardship or job loss, or the health of any person. The second, at 28-882(c)(2), is automatic and needs no application: recycled water and water supplied from public or private groundwater sources are exempt from the division. Because that exemption sits in the purpose-and-exemptions section rather than a stand-alone permit program, a property irrigating from a reclaimed-water line or a private well stays outside the division's reach even after the City has declared mandatory restrictions citywide, while a neighbor on the potable municipal supply remains bound by the same day-of-week schedule.