A thirsty plant might say, “I don’t care if my water is clean enough for people to drink. Just pour it on!” And a new effort to recycle wastewater in the vicinity of Research Triangle Park does just that.

Besides the plants, beneficiaries of the Jordan Lake Reclamation and Reuse Project will be property owners who will pay less for water that keeps their landscaping green. And indirectly, they will include people who won’t see so much precious potable water being used on plants.

The project kicked into operation last week as sprinklers served by a 4.4-mile pipeline were turned on. The pipeline extends from the Triangle Wastewater Treatment Plant in Durham County. It will provide 40 million gallons per day to as many as 50 customers, including companies in RTP and western Cary.

With federal, county and municipal funding, the reclamation project makes good sense as a way to conserve drinking water in a region where supplies are tight and droughts are frequent. Plants, for their part, give it rave reviews.