2. Reclaimed water or recycled water, is former wastewater
(sewage) that is treated to remove solids and certain impurities, and
used in sustainable landscaping irrigation or to recharge groundwater
aquifers. The purpose of these processes is sustainability and water
conservation, rather than discharging the treated water to surface
waters such as rivers and oceans. In some cases, recycled water can
be used for stream flow augmentation to benefit ecosystems and
improve aesthetics. One example of this is along Calera Creek in the
City of Pacifica, CA.
The definition of reclaimed water, as defined by Levine and
Asaneo, is "The end product of wastewater reclamation that meets
water quality requirements for biodegradable materials, suspended
matter and pathogens." In more recent conventional use, the term
refers to water that is not treated as highly in order to offer a way to
conserve drinking water. This water is given to uses such as
agriculture and sundry industry uses.

3. The cost of reclaimed water exceeds that of potable water in many regions of the
world, where a fresh water supply is plentiful. However, reclaimed water is usually
sold to citizens at a cheaper rate to encourage its use. As fresh water supplies
become limited from distribution costs, increased population demands, or climate
change reducing sources, the cost ratios will evolve also. Using reclaimed water
for non-potable uses saves potable water for drinking, since less potable water
will be used for non-potable uses. It sometimes contains higher levels of nutrients
such as nitrogen, phosphorus and oxygen which may somewhat
help fertilize garden and agricultural plants when used for irrigation. The usage of
water reclamation decreases the pollution sent to sensitive environments. It can
also enhance wetlands, which benefits the wildlife depending on that eco-system.
Reclaimed water is highly engineered for safety and reliability so that the quality
of reclaimed water is more predictable than many existing surface and
groundwater sources. Reclaimed water is considered safe when appropriately
used. Reclaimed water planned for use in recharging aquifers or augmenting
surface water receives adequate and reliable treatment before mixing with
naturally occurring water and undergoing natural restoration processes. Some of
this water eventually becomes part of drinking water supplies.

4. In most locations, recycled water is not directly mixed with potable water for several
reasons:
1.Utilities providing reclaimed water for non potable uses do not treat the water to
drinking water standards.
2.Varying amounts of pathogens, pharmaceutical chemicals and other trace
chemicals are able to pass through the treatment and filtering process, potentially
causing danger to humans. Modern technologies such as reverse osmosis may
help to somewhat overcome this problem.
3.Drinking water standards were developed for natural ground water, and are not
appropriate for identifying contaminants in reclaimed water. In addition to
pathogens, organic and endocrine disrupting chemicals, a large number of
compounds may be present in reclaimed water. They cannot all be tested for, and
there is a paucity of toxicity information on many of the compounds.
Because of this, state regulatory agencies do not allow reclaimed water to be used
for drinking, bathing, or filling swimming pools. They also warn those who use
reclaimed water for irrigation to place a sign on their property warning people not to
drink from the irrigation system, and to not use it directly on fruits or vegetables.