Reclaimed Water System

Paying Attention to the Purple

So that the public will avoid coming into contact with recycled water, our reuse pipes, valves, meters and tanks are all identifiable with the color purple.

While reuse water is not considered potable, it is safe; however, it does not meet the standard of safe drinking water.  It is suited for irrigation and other non-potable uses.

The treatment system removes harmful pathogens from wastewater while maintaining some nutrient load, which could reduce the need to apply fertilizer to the land irrigated by reuse water. This could reduce the operating costs of managing public open space in the long term as well as reduce off-site contamination of Utley Creek.

The main result of the project is that it will divert thousands of gallons of treated wastewater previously discharged into Utley Creek.   It will substitute thousands of gallons of recycled water for drinking water that currently is being used for non-essential uses.

The project demonstrates that irrigating public open space is a practical solution both to irrigating public areas and to disposing of treated wastewater.  Treated wastewater is an underutilized resource that should be increasingly used as pressure on natural sources increases with population growth and drying climate.

Town home

Town of Holly Springs - PO Box 8 - 128 South Main Street - Holly Springs, NC 27540 - (919) 552-6221 - Holly.Springs@hollyspringsnc.us