San Jose, CA Water Use Rules: Recycled Water Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing chapter
- SJMC Chapter 15.11
- Separate meter
- Required from potable supply
- Cross-connections
- Prohibited on-site
- Plant choice
- Must tolerate soil salinity
Summary
San Jose requires any landscape irrigation system supplied with recycled water to run on its own meter, separate from the potable water supply, and to have zero on-site cross-connections between the two systems.
All Recycled Water irrigation systems shall: 1. Be metered separately from the Potable Water supply system; 2. Have no on-site cross-connections to the Potable Water supply system; and 3. Be designed and operated in accordance with applicable laws.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 5 Update 3).
Full Breakdown
Under San Jose's Water Efficient Landscape Standards, any irrigation system supplied with Recycled Water, treated wastewater suitable for non-potable uses like landscape irrigation, defined at SJMC § 15.11.690, must be metered separately from the Potable Water supply system, have no on-site cross-connections to that potable system, and be designed and operated in accordance with applicable law. Plants irrigated with recycled water must also be adapted to San Jose's climate and tolerant of salinity buildup in the soil. Compliance is documented through the project's Landscape Documentation Package and verified before the Certificate of Completion is accepted.
Violations & Fines
Cross-connecting a recycled water irrigation line to the potable supply, or installing it without a separate meter, breaches SJMC § 15.11.1000 and can hold up the Certificate of Completion required before occupancy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a recycled water irrigation line connect to my potable water line?
Does a recycled water irrigation system need its own meter?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in San Jose
California rules heatmap·Compare San Jose to another location·View the California water use rules overview
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Recycled Water Rules in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Santa Clara County handle recycled water rules.