Rochester, MN Water Use Rules: Recycled Water Rules (2026)

Chapter 12-11, Nonessential Water Usage Upon Declaration of a Critical Water Deficiency, is Rochester's framework for cutting nonessential water use once the governor declares a critical water deficiency under Minn. 291. Sec. 12-11-2 defines Reclaimed water to mean water collected from rooftops, paved surfaces, or other collection devices and all water utilized more than once before re-entering the natural water cycle. That definition matters because Sec. 12-11-8(a), the mandatory emergency water conservation measure triggered once an emergency is declared and announced to the public, prohibits outdoor irrigation of yards, gardens, golf courses, parklands, and other non-agricultural land, except for those areas irrigated with reclaimed water.

Every other nonessential use loses its exemption during the emergency: sidewalk and driveway washing, filling pools and fountains, outdoor misting systems and unrequested restaurant water service are all barred under the same section, with narrow carve-outs only for immediate health or safety hazards and for facilities with wash-water recirculation systems. Rochester Public Utilities, designated the city's public water supplier and department under Sec. 12-11-2, administers the program; the general manager can grant a variance where strict application of the chapter would cause serious hardship, appealable to the RPU Board within five days under Sec. 12-11-9.