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For Reclaimed Water Customers
By using reclaimed water responsibly, residents help conserve the Town’s drinking water reserves and protect our environment. The system is easily identified by the purple pipes and meter boxes.
Use reclaimed water for...
- Watering lawns, trees, flower beds
- Applying pesticide and fertilizer (water from bulk loading station can be used for this)
- Mixing concrete (water from bulk loading station can be used for this)
What is not allowed?
- Irrigation during inclement weather (rain)
- Excessive irrigation
- Runoff from irrigated areas into the streets, ditches, or streams
- Pooling or ponding in lawns due to excessive irrigation
- NEVER connect a reclaimed water hose to any part of a home’s plumbing.
- Use reclaimed water only for approved uses.
- If you don’t know, ask first! Call (919) 577-1090.
- No hose bibs are allowed on a reclaimed water irrigation system.
Other Prohibited Uses
Reclaimed water cannot be applied within 25 feet of ponds, streams, or wetlands or within 100 feet of any drinking water well. These buffers will be identified when you apply for an irrigation system permit. State and Town rules also prohibit:
- Watering or bathing pets
- Washing cars
- Filling swimming pools or hot tubs
- Recreational uses
- Watering food crops
- Toilet flushing
Malfunctions or Violations
If any part of your reclaimed irrigation system malfunctions (such as a line break, leak, rainfall sensor malfunction, or controller failure) or if you suspect you may have a violation of allowed uses, take the following actions:
- Immediately stop the reclaimed water flow.
- Report incidents to the Utilities and Infrastructure Department as soon as possible! Call (919) 577-1090 during office hours. After hours, call the Police Department at (919) 557-9111.
- Repair or replace damaged equipment before turning the water back on.
Owners will not be penalized for accidental violations if they are promptly reported and corrected. Negligent, intentional, or malicious acts are subject to enforcement actions and/or penalties per Town ordinances and policies.
Frequently Asked Questions
Reclaimed water produced at the Town’s Utley Creek Water Reclamation Facility is wastewater that has been processed through advanced treatment systems to meet stringent standards mandated by the State of North Carolina. Reclaimed water can be used for irrigation and is a “green” product because it minimizes potable water needed to meet the Town’s water demands.
Reclaimed water is safe, and contact with it will not harm people, pets, or property; however, the State of North Carolina regulates its use to minimize direct human contact. Reclaimed water systems are proven technologies that have operated in other towns and states for years.
Residential and business customers may use reclaimed water for landscape irrigation, especially in irrigation systems designed or converted to comply with the Town’s reclaimed water irrigation requirements. Reclaimed water also can be used for other purposes, but most customers use it only for irrigation.
Bulk reclaimed water also is available. An account, permit, and special bulk water training are required to use bulk amounts of reclaimed water. Contact Utilities & Infrastructure at (919) 552-5920 to determine if your business can benefit from reclaimed water.
No. The reclaimed water may not be used to water any edible crops. This includes vegetables, fruits, and herbs.
No. The only access to reclaimed water in residential areas is through the irrigation system. The State permit does not allow any hose connections (above-ground or below-ground) in the distribution system.
There are no day or time restrictions, but irrigation must be conducted in a way that prevents runoff into stormwater drains, stormwater lines, streams, and ponds. Watering two or three times a week, no more than 20 minutes per area, is suggested to reduce runoff into creeks and stormwater drains, which flow directly into nearby waterways.
The Town's reclaimed water system delivers to customers connected to the system in the service area west of N.C. 55. Click here for a map of the service area, which shows where connections to the reclaimed water system could be built.
For residents: Properties with reclaimed water available have two water meter boxes at the street. The potable water service has a standard gray metal-colored lid. The other meter box with a purple lid is for reclaimed water service.
- If you have a reclaimed meter box and already have an irrigation system, it is connected to the reclaimed water system.
- If you have a reclaimed meter box and want to install an irrigation system, contact Development Services at (919) 557-3915. You must apply for a permit to connect to the reclaimed water system.
For businesses and property owners along reclaimed water lines: To connect to the reclaimed water system, contact Public Works at (919) 552-5920 to arrange for an irrigation tap.
For developers building in the service area: For information about extending reclaimed water to your property, contact Utilities & Infrastructure at (919) 557-3938.
- Must be permitted by the Town of Holly Springs.
- Reclaimed irrigation systems have been specially designed to distribute reclaimed water. Changing the programming or heads in your system should be performed only by a licensed irrigation contractor to ensure that Town and State requirements are met.
- The rainfall sensor must be connected and functional at all times.
North Carolina requires the Town to review and approve all use of reclaimed water. After customers and homeowners read and sign an informational packet about how to use reclaimed water, they may be permitted to use it.