Beneficial Reuse Credit

What is a Beneficial Reuse Credit?

A beneficial reuse credit is the amount the permitted wastewater flow can be reduced to calculate the required land application area for a Texas land application permit.

The credit is based on the demonstrating firm reclaimed water demand, which is the amount of wastewater historically reused by the permittee or water user and authorized under 30 Texas Administrative Code (TAC) Chapters 222 and 309 .

How can I use a Beneficial Reuse Credit?

A beneficial reuse credit can be used for any of the following:

• Reducing the acreage required for land application of treated effluent.
• Increasing the permitted flow without reducing the land application acreage.
• Reducing the land application acreage and increasing the permitted flow.

A beneficial reuse credit cannot be used to reduce the required effluent storage size.

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Who qualifies?

If your facility meets both the following criteria, it may qualify:

• Is currently authorized under, or has applied for or, a Texas land application permit for land application of treated domestic wastewater; and
• Is currently authorized under a domestic reuse authorization (see 30 Texas Administrative Code Chapter 210 ).
  
  Note: For new facilities, the executive director may satisfy this requirement by issuing a multiple phase permit so that the beneficial reuse credit will not become effective until the applicant obtains the domestic reuse authorization.

Entities that meet either of the following criteria do not qualify:

• Entities who apply for or are authorized to discharge treated domestic wastewater; or
• Is an industrial facility.

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What information must I provide?

You must provide the following information to demonstrate firm reclaimed water demand and calculate the beneficial reuse credit:

• Five consecutive years of water use data for each reclaimed water user.
  
  Note: If five years of data is not available, a minimum of two consecutive years of water use data is required. 

Water use data must be from the period immediately preceding the date the agency received the application. Additionally, the data must be for the same type of use proposed (e.g., if you are proposing to use reclaimed water instead of potable water for toilet flushing, then the water use data must be for toilet flushing). However, the data may be from the applicant’s, or another user’s, reuse activities. 

The executive director may exclude unreliable water use data, approve less than two years of water use data (if the executive director determines the data is reliable), or allow the use of a water balance. 

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How do I calculate and apply my Beneficial Reuse Credit?

Calculate credit for Outdoor Use

Calculate credit for Indoor Use

Apply calculated credit 

To apply the beneficial reuse credit, reduce the permitted wastewater flow volume by the calculated beneficial reuse credit when calculating the required acreage of the land application area based on the hydraulic application rate. For example:

    100,000 gallons per day  (permitted wastewater flow volume)
    -5,000 gallons per day    (calculated beneficial reuse credit)
    95,000 gallons per day    (use to calculate required acreage)

The land application area cannot be reduced by more than 50% of the area required based on the permitted flow. The applicant must have a land application area that can receive at least 50% of the permitted flow, even if 100% of the effluent is reused.

Contact Us if you have questions.

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