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Santa Fe, NM Water Use Rules: Recycled Water Rules (2026)

Light Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Governing code
Residential Green Building Code, § 7-4.2 SFCC 1987
Recycled-water irrigation credit
10 points under Item 802.1(2)
Mandatory water score cap
WERS score of 70 (Subsection E(9))
Applies to
New single-family homes and qualifying additions
Permit fee
$100 per residential unit
Enforced by
City of Santa Fe land use director

Summary

Santa Fe's Residential Green Building Code awards a 10-point credit under Item 802.1(2) when a new single-family home irrigates on-site landscaping with reclaimed or recycled water instead of potable supply. The credit counts toward the mandatory Water Efficiency Rating Score (WERS) cap of 70 that every new residential building permit must meet before the land use director issues a certificate of occupancy.

801.0 Intent. Measures that reduce indoor and outdoor water usage are implemented. ... 802.1 Gray Water. Gray water, as specified in ICC IRC, Appendix O, is separated and reused, as permitted by local building code. [Points awarded for either Section 802.1(1) or 802.1(2), not both.] (2) irrigation from reclaimed or recycled water on-site 10

View official code

Full Breakdown

2 SFCC 1987 adopts the Santa Fe Residential Green Building Code for all new single-family, attached and detached residential units, modular homes brought on site, and residential additions that add living, sleeping, eating, cooking or sanitation space. Subsection E(9) makes water conservation mandatory: every building permit application must include a documented Water Efficiency Rating Score (WERS) analysis showing a maximum score of 70, confirmed again before the land use director will sign off on a certificate of occupancy. Chapter 8 of the code, 'Indoor and Outdoor Water Use,' is the point menu builders use to hit that score.

0 states the intent: measures that reduce indoor and outdoor water usage are implemented. 1(2), 'irrigation from reclaimed or recycled water on-site,' worth 10 points, but not both provisions on the same fixture. 3) that a builder can combine to reach the required WERS threshold. Applications filed before March 1, 2017 could still use the prior code version. 11(G)(2)(a).

Violations & Fines

Because the recycled-water credit is optional, there's no separate fine for skipping it. The consequence attaches to the overall WERS requirement it feeds: a building permit applicant who cannot document a projected and confirmed WERS score of 70 or less will not receive plan approval or a certificate of occupancy from the land use director until the water conservation analysis is corrected and resubmitted.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Santa Fe require new homes to irrigate with recycled water?
No. Item 802.1(2) of the Residential Green Building Code makes recycled-water irrigation an optional 10-point credit, not a mandate. Builders can instead earn points through low-volume irrigation, rainwater collection, or hydrozoning; the requirement that's actually mandatory is the overall Water Efficiency Rating Score cap of 70 under Subsection E(9).
How many points does on-site reclaimed water irrigation earn?
Item 802.1(2) awards 10 points for 'irrigation from reclaimed or recycled water on-site.' A builder can claim this or the graywater-reuse credit in 802.1(1), but not both, and the points count toward the WERS analysis submitted with the building permit application.
Who enforces the water conservation requirement?
The city's land use director administers the Residential Green Building Code under Section 7-4.2 SFCC 1987, reviewing the WERS documentation at permit application and again before issuing a certificate of occupancy. Noncompliant projects cannot receive final sign-off until the water conservation analysis meets the required score.

Sources & Official References

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