If you have lived in Titusville for a while, you may have noticed purple pipes, purple valve box lids or a separate meter in some yards. Those mark reclaimed water. Some properties water their lawns with it, while others use city drinking water or a private well. Which one you have changes a few things about how your sprinkler system behaves and what it needs.
What reclaimed water is
Reclaimed water is wastewater that has been treated at a water reclamation plant and then sent back out through a separate pipe network for reuse. The City of Titusville runs two reclaimed water plants, the Blue Heron and the Osprey, and a distribution system that delivers reclaimed water for irrigation. The City limits reclaimed water use to irrigation and commercial cooling towers. It is not for drinking, and it is regulated by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.
Purple is the standard color for reclaimed water parts, so nobody confuses those lines with drinking water. If you see purple pipe or a purple lid in your yard, treat it as reclaimed and keep it separate from anything connected to drinking water.
City water and wells
City water, also called potable water, is the same treated water that comes out of your kitchen faucet. Systems on city water connect to the drinking water supply through a backflow preventer, a valve assembly that keeps sprinkler water from flowing backward into the supply.
Some properties, especially on larger lots around Titusville and up toward Mims, use a private irrigation well with a pump. Well systems have their own quirks, including pump relays, pressure switches and iron in the water that can stain concrete and walls.
The watering rules are the same
This is the part that surprises people. The City of Titusville applies its irrigation restrictions to city water, well water and reclaimed water. Having reclaimed water or a well doesn't mean you can water any day. Your watering days are set by your address, the same as your neighbors. Under the current standard time schedule, that means once a week, and the City says to water before 10 a.m. or after 4 p.m. You can look up your day on our watering days page.
The St. Johns River Water Management District's rules add one more point: when reclaimed water is available for irrigation, private irrigation wells are not authorized. If you have both and aren't sure which you should be using, ask the City before making changes.
How reclaimed water is different for your system
Reclaimed water is treated to standards for irrigation, but it isn't the same as drinking water. In our experience it is more likely to leave buildup in the smallest openings of a system: nozzle orifices, filter screens and drip emitters. That shows up as heads that sputter or throw unevenly, or a nozzle that seems to clog again soon after it was cleaned.
The fix is mostly maintenance. Cleaning nozzle screens, flushing lines after repairs and using filters on drip zones go a long way. Reclaimed service can also be interrupted at times. The City describes it as an accessory service and notes that it can be limited or shut off when supply is short or quality doesn't meet standards. If your system suddenly has no pressure, it is worth checking whether reclaimed service is running before assuming something in your yard broke.
How well water is different
On a well system, the controller turns on a pump through a pump start relay every time a zone runs. A failed relay can stop the system entirely, or leave the pump running with no zone on. Rapid on-off cycling of the pump often points to a leak or a pressure problem. Iron in well water leaves orange stains on concrete, walls and fences, so aiming heads away from hard surfaces matters even more than usual.
Repairs on reclaimed systems
When we repair a reclaimed system, we use parts suited to reclaimed water and keep them clearly marked. We never cross-connect reclaimed lines with anything tied to drinking water. If a past repair mixed standard and purple parts, we point it out so you can decide whether to fix it.
Which is better for my lawn?
Your lawn doesn't much care where the water comes from. What matters is how much it gets, when it gets it and whether it lands on the grass. A well-adjusted system on any source, running on your allowed days with a working rain sensor, will do better than a poorly adjusted one on the best water around.
Not sure what you have?
Look for purple pipe or lids, a separate meter or a reclaimed line on your utility bill. If you have a pump near the house or a well cap in the yard, you probably have a well. The City's Public Works staff can confirm whether your address has reclaimed service. And if your system is giving you trouble on any source, we can help. See our reclaimed water and well systems service or request a free estimate.
Rules can change. Always confirm watering rules with the City of Titusville and the St. Johns River Water Management District.