Reclaimed Water Quality
The reclaimed water Tucson Water provides to our customers is classified by the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) as Class A water. This is highly treated wastewater that is suitable for irrigation of food crops, turf, ornamental landscaping, and orchards and vineyards. It can also be used for dust suppression, livestock watering, and cooling towers and toilet flushing in non-residential buildings.
Reclaimed water is not for drinking or bathing. If you come in contact with reclaimed water, wash with soap and water from a potable (drinking) water faucet. If you or your child have consumed some of this water, it is unlikely to cause ill effects. However, watch for signs of illness, most likely, but not limited to gastrointestinal upset, for ten days after the reclaimed water has been consumed. If an infant less than six months old has ingested reclaimed water, watch for blue baby syndrome — blue lips or under the fingernails — or trouble breathing.
If you or your child do get sick, be sure to tell your medical provider that reclaimed water was ingested. They will be able to determine if the illness is related to the water.
| Parameter | 2009 1 |
|---|---|
| Inorganic Constituents | |
| Alkalinity (as CaCO3) | 211 mg/l |
| Arsenic | 0.0052 mg/l |
| Boron | 0.26 mg/l |
| Cadmium 2 | < 0.004 mg/l |
| Calcium | 80.92 mg/l |
| Chloride | 134 mg/l |
| Copper 2 | < 0.02 mg/l |
| Hardness (as CaCO3) | 261.4 mg/l |
| Magnesium | 14 mg/l |
| Phosphate (as P) | 1.63 mg/l |
| Sodium | 144 mg/l |
| Sulfate | 152 mg/l |
| Nitrogen Forms | |
| Ammonia Nitrogen | 7 mg/l |
| Nitrate (as N) | 5.4 mg/l |
| Nitrite (as N) | 0.55 mg/l |
| Organic Nitrogen (Calculated) | 1.68 mg/l |
| Total (Calculated) | 14.98 mg/l |
| Reuse Permit | |
| Turbidity | 1.77 NTU |
| Fecal Coliform 2 | < 2.0 cfu |
| pH | 7.50 S.U. |
| Other | |
| Total Dissolved Solids | 724.0 mg/l |
| Electrical Conductivity | 1198 μS/cm |
| Residual Sodium Carbonate | -1.01 meq/l |
| Sodium Adsorption Ratio (SAR) | 3.88 meq/l |
| Water Quality Abbreviations |
|---|
| CaCO3 — calcium carbonate |
| cfu — colony forming units |
| mg/l — milligrams per liter |
| meq/l — milliequivalents per liter |
| μS/cm — microSeimens/centimeter |
| N — nitrogen |
| NTU — nephelometric turbidity units |
| P — phosphorus |
| S.U. — standard unit |
1 Annual Average. Source: Tucson Water’s Water Quality Laboratory.
2 Average is less than the detection limit
