Sugar Land, TX Water Use Rules: Recycled Water Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing rule
- Development Code § 7-71, Reclaimed Water
- Piping requirement
- Purple components required throughout
- Signage
- 8x8 in. bilingual 'DO NOT DRINK' sign required
- Backflow standard
- Air gap or RP device per 30 TAC § 290.47(i)
- Max fine
- $2,000.00 per offense, Class C misdemeanor
Summary
Sugar Land allows reclaimed water in landscape irrigation only with purple-coded piping, a required backflow air gap on the potable line, and bilingual warning signage. No spraying onto edible crops or across property lines is permitted without those safeguards.
Sec. 7-71. - Reclaimed Water. Reclaimed water may be utilized in landscape irrigation systems if:
A. There is no direct contact with edible crops, unless the crop is pasteurized before consumption; B. The irrigation system does not spray water across property lines that do not belong to the irrigation system's owner; C. The irrigation system is installed using purple components; D. The domestic potable water line is connected using an air gap or a reduced pressure principle backflow prevention device, in accordance with Title 30, Texas Administrative Code, Section 290.47(i) (relating to Appendices); E. A minimum of an 8-inch-by-8-inch sign, in English and Spanish, is prominently posted on/in the area that is being irrigated, that reads, "RECLAIMED WATER - DO NOT DRINK" and "AGUA DE RECUPERACIÓN - NO BEBER"; and F. Backflow prevention on the reclaimed water supply line shall be in accordance with the regulations of the City's water provider.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Land Development Code: Supplement 14 | Code of Ordinances: Supplement 55).
Full Breakdown
Section 7-71 of the Development Code sets seven conditions before reclaimed water may be used in an irrigation system. There can be no direct contact with edible crops unless the crop is pasteurized first, and the system cannot spray water across property lines belonging to someone else. All reclaimed-water irrigation components must be purple, the industry color code that flags non-potable lines to installers and inspectors. 47(i). A minimum 8-inch-by-8-inch bilingual sign reading 'RECLAIMED WATER - DO NOT DRINK' and 'AGUA DE RECUPERACIÓN - NO BEBER' must be posted prominently in the irrigated area, and backflow prevention on the reclaimed-water supply line must follow the standards of the city's water provider.
If state or federal law imposes a stricter standard on a reclaimed-water system, that stricter standard controls over the city ordinance. This section sits in Article VI (Landscape Irrigation) of Chapter 7, alongside detailed irrigation design standards adopted by Ordinance No. 1725 in 2009, and enforcement of the whole Article, including reclaimed water misuse, runs through Section 7-75.
Violations & Fines
Violating any reclaimed-water condition under Section 7-71 is enforced under Section 7-75 of the Development Code as a nuisance subject to injunctive relief and criminal prosecution as a Class C misdemeanor, punishable by a fine up to $2,000.00, with each day of violation a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I irrigate my lawn with reclaimed water in Sugar Land?
Why do reclaimed water systems use purple pipe?
What signage is required for a reclaimed water system?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Sugar Land
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