West Palm Beach, FL Water Use Rules: Recycled Water Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing sections
- City Code §§ 90-93, 90-94
- Exemption
- Reclaimed water excluded from irrigation conservation rules
- Definition standard
- Secondary treatment + basic disinfection per F.A.C. 62-40.210
- Emergency override
- SFWMD/city may still impose shortage restrictions
- Safety requirement
- Backflow preventer still required (§ 90-33)
Summary
West Palm Beach's landscape-irrigation conservation rules, which restrict watering days and require efficient nozzles, don't apply to reclaimed water at all. City Code § 90-94(c) carves reclaimed water out of the conservation division entirely, while § 90-93 defines it as treated wastewater reused after secondary treatment and disinfection.
Reclaimed water means wastewater that has received at least secondary treatment and basic disinfection and is reused after flowing out of a wastewater treatment facility as defined by Rule 62-40.210, F.A.C. ... (c)The conservation measures set forth in this division apply to all water sources, except the use of reclaimed water.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 76).
Full Breakdown
" That means the day-and-time watering restrictions, low-volume irrigation standards and enforcement fines that apply to potable water and well water under this division do not reach a property irrigating with reclaimed water, whether from the city's reuse system or another reclaimed source. The exemption sits inside a broader conservation scheme: subsection (d) lets the South Florida Water Management District or the city commission impose stricter emergency restrictions during a declared water shortage that would override the normal rules, but the reclaimed-water carve-out in (c) is not conditioned on a shortage declaration.
Users on reclaimed water can still be charged in accordance with the utility's rate resolutions and remain subject to the cross-connection control requirements in § 90-33, which require an approved backflow preventer wherever reclaimed water or another non-potable source could contaminate the potable system.
Violations & Fines
Because § 90-94(c) exempts reclaimed water from the conservation division, there is no over-watering fine under this division for reclaimed-water irrigation itself. A property that misidentifies its water source, or that cross-connects a reclaimed line to the potable system without an approved backflow preventer, can still be cited under § 90-33's cross-connection rules and face water-service disconnection until the violation is corrected.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do West Palm Beach's watering restrictions apply if I use reclaimed water?
What counts as reclaimed water under the city code?
Can the city ever restrict reclaimed water use?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in West Palm Beach
Florida rules heatmap·Compare West Palm Beach to another location·View the Florida water use rules overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.
Recycled Water Rules in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Palm Beach County handle recycled water rules.