Reclaims water from a variety of sources, treats it, and reuses for beneficial purposes like irrigation, livestock supply, groundwater replenishment, and environmental restoration.
Explore BenefitsDiscover how reclaiming and reusing water can sustain our resources and protect the environment.
Water recycling (also commonly known as water reuse) reclaims water from a variety of sources then treats and reuses it for beneficial purposes such as irrigation, livestock water supply, groundwater replenishment, and environmental restoration.
Water recycling can provide alternatives to existing water supplies, reducing surface and groundwater depletion. Source water depletion contributes to decreased water levels of surface water bodies and groundwater resources, water withdrawal cost increase, deterioration of water quality, land subsidence, stressed vegetation and livestock, degradation of wildlife habitat, and negative impact on neighboring water resources.
Sustainable Water Cycle
Reclaim, treat, reuse – a cycle for the future.
Water recycling provides sustainable alternatives to traditional supplies, conserving resources and protecting the environment.
Discover how water is reclaimed, treated, and reused through proven conservation practices to conserve resources and restore ecosystems.
Harvest water from sources like roof runoff, subsurface drains, irrigation tailwater, and agricultural waste using structures such as gutters, ditches, and catchment systems.
Store collected water in reservoirs, tanks, cisterns, or pits for later use, ensuring availability for irrigation, livestock, or environmental needs.
Apply treatments like denitrifying bioreactors, amendments, or phosphorus removal systems to improve water quality for safe, fit-for-purpose reuse.
Distribute treated water for beneficial uses like irrigation, livestock supply, groundwater replenishment, and environmental restoration, reducing depletion and costs.
These steps leverage NRCS Conservation Practice Standards such as 558 Roof Runoff, 436 Irrigation Reservoir, and 447 Tailwater Recovery for sustainable implementation.
Explore conservation practices and real-world examples for implementing water recycling on your land.
Store diverted surface water, groundwater, or irrigation tailwater in a dam, pit, or tank for later use or reuse.
Practice Code 436Gutters and downspouts collect and convey precipitation runoff from roofs to increase available water for other uses.
Practice Code 558Harvest water from impervious surfaces and store in a tank or cistern for livestock, fish, wildlife, or conservation purposes.
Practice Code 636Storage and reuse of recoverable irrigation and rainfall runoff, or field drain water to conserve supplies and improve quality.
Practice Code 447In-field conduits collect and convey excess water for beneficial use or reuse, improving soil, water, air, and plant relationships.
Practice Codes 606, 607Surface spreading of runoff over flat areas facilitates groundwater recovery for future reuse.
Practice Code 640Rainfall runoff piped from gutters into storage tanks, then gravity-fed to troughs with first-flush diversion for quality.
60-acre reservoir captures rainwater and field runoff for rice water needs using side-inlet irrigation.
Evaporative cooling pad excess water drained into troughs, recirculated in tanks—only replenishing evaporation losses.
For additional information on these practices and others, visit the NRCS National CPS web page or contact your local NRCS Office.
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