Tucson, AZ Water Use Rules: Recycled Water Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Large user threshold
- 10,000 ccf/month average use
- Reclaimed offset requirement
- At least 30% of water use
- 5/8-inch reclaimed service charge
- $13.56/month, FY2026
- FY2026 reclaimed volume rate
- $2.51 per ccf
- Conservation plan renewal
- Every 5 years
Summary
Tucson Code § 27-20 requires large-quantity water users, those projected to use 10,000 ccf or more per month, to file a water conservation plan and agree to offset at least 30% of their use with reclaimed water where the property sits near the reclaimed system. The utility also bills reclaimed water on its own monthly rate schedule under § 27-32.1.
Sec. 27-20. Large quantity water users.
(a) A large quantity water user may not connect to the city public water system or use city water except as provided by this section... (c)(2)(d) That the applicant has agreed to use reclaimed water to offset at least thirty percent (30%) of its water use or such other percentage as the director determines is the maximum use of reclaimed water that is warranted for the applicant's facility, given the facility's proximity to the reclaimed water system.
Sec. 27-32.1. Monthly reclaimed water service charges. ... (2) In addition to the applicable service charge, the charge for reclaimed water shall be: FY 2026: $2.51 per Ccf ($1,094.00 per acre-foot)
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-150: Current through June 23, 2026).
Full Breakdown
Section 27-20 defines a large quantity water user as any new customer projected to average 10,000 centum cubic feet (ccf, at 748 gallons each) per month, or an existing customer requesting a meter upsizing that would reach that threshold. Before connecting or upsizing, the applicant must submit a sustainable water service application and water conservation plan to the water director identifying construction phasing, water demand estimates, and conservation techniques with a direct hydrologic benefit to the Tucson Basin. If the site sits within one mile of the Tucson Water Reclaimed Water Distribution System, the plan must address the cost of connecting to it and the reclaimed water's suitability for the facility.
Mayor and Council review requires, among other findings, that the applicant has agreed to use reclaimed water to offset at least 30 percent of its water use, or another percentage the director sets as the maximum warranted given the facility's proximity to the reclaimed system. Approved applications become binding water service contracts, and large users must file an updated conservation plan every five years and stay within 120 percent of their approved use. 51 per ccf ($1,094 per acre-foot) for FY2026, rates that step up annually through FY2030 under the water rate ordinance.
Violations & Fines
The water director may suspend service to a large quantity water user who violates the 30 percent reclaimed-water offset or exceeds 120 percent of approved use, after providing notice reviewable under § 27-50; service isn't restored until the user comes back into compliance. Separately, § 27-15 makes wasting potable or reclaimed water a civil infraction, with a minimum $250 fine on a first offense and a minimum $500 fine for a second offense within three years.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who has to use reclaimed water in Tucson?
How much does reclaimed water cost in Tucson?
What happens if a large water user doesn't meet the reclaimed water offset?
Sources & Official References
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