What do Chandler's reclaimed water and purple pipe rules require?

The city's reclaimed water page defines reclaimed water as wastewater "that has been treated to very high standards for reuse in landscape irrigation, fountains, lakes, industrial use and aquifer recharge," and says you "shouldn’t drink or swim in reclaimed water." It says that as South Chandler developed, the city required developers to install their own "purple pipes," and that all reclaimed water pipes in Chandler are purple. It also gives the rule in the quote above.

City Code Chapter 53 supplies the working rules:

• Agreement (53-4): it is unlawful to receive or use reclaimed water other than by contract or agreement with the city, or with a developer the city has contracted to provide it for resale.
• Meter (53-5): no one may receive reclaimed water on a parcel unless the city has placed a reclaimed water meter on that parcel. The City Engineer approves the meter type and size.
• Marking (53-13): subsurface piping and fixtures are installed with purple pipe or wrapped in polywrap or equal. Above-ground parts, including valves, valve boxes and covers, controllers, piping, hose bibs and other outlets, are marked purple. Main line valve box covers carry the words "Reclaimed Water" in raised letters, and access to the developer's controller box is by key.
• Tampering (53-6): tampering with the reclaimed system is unlawful.
• Storage (53-14): a large volume user, one with a peak flow of 250,000 gallons per day or more at build out, builds on-site storage for at least three days of average daily flow. Small volume users need none.

• Reclaimed water: the code's 53-1 definition is effluent, other than from the city's reverse osmosis plant, treated to a quality suitable for its intended use under federal and state regulations.
• Purple pipe: the color marking for reclaimed lines. In the code it is a required identification, not a style choice.
• Reclaimed delivery area: the area shown on the city's delivery area map.
• Auxiliary water supply: Chandler's 52-1 includes "treated effluent" among the water supplies other than the city's approved potable supply. Section 52-34.3 uses the same phrase for reclaimed water.

It covers developers, HOAs and property owners that take reclaimed water, and the contractors who build their systems. It does not make a single-family home eligible today: 53-2.2 prohibits delivery of reclaimed water to single-family homes, duplexes and triplexes as of November 1, 2013, unless a preliminary plat was approved by City Council earlier. Homes already receiving it before that date are exempt, but the service "shall not be restored" if it is discontinued for more than 90 days.

An HOA with a large common area. The community has a lake and a long greenbelt inside the delivery area. The city page says the code requires reclaimed water for a development with a common area over five acres, so the irrigation is built for it from the start.

A hose bib in the wrong place. A contractor ties a purple-marked outlet to a hose. The code requires outlets and hose bibs on the system to be marked purple and the city says not to drink the water.

The edge case: two answers in one neighborhood. The HOA's greenbelt must use reclaimed water. The homes next to it cannot be newly connected. Section 53-2.2 treats common areas and single-family homes differently.

A home with a city-installed device. Where a home uses reclaimed water, 52-34.3 says the city installs the backflow device in the city right-of-way, downstream of the water meter, at the homebuilder's expense, and the city tests and maintains it. A reduced pressure principle device is the approved device where reclaimed water is available as an auxiliary supply.

1. 1Check whether the site is inside the reclaimed delivery area on the map on the city's reclaimed water page.
2. 2For usage areas, application or agreement information, call the Water Distribution Office at 480-782-3701, the number the city's water FAQ gives.
3. 3Sign the agreement before any use (53-4) and let the city set the meter (53-5).
4. 4Build the system to the city's specifications and mark every part purple (53-13).
5. 5Plan backflow protection for the potable side, using our page on which backflow device Chandler requires.

• Myth: Purple means it is just a color code. In 53-13 it is a requirement for pipe, valves, boxes and outlets.
• Myth: Reclaimed water is fine to drink. The city says not to drink or swim in it.
• Myth: Backflow devices on reclaimed water need an annual test. The city's testing page says devices installed on reclaimed water services are exempt from that requirement. Devices on potable services still follow the annual test.
• Myth: Any new home can hook up. Section 53-2.2 prohibits new reclaimed service to single-family homes, duplexes and triplexes after November 1, 2013, with the plat exception.

This page explains the code and the city's page. The adopted text on Municode governs.