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Graywater

 

•New graywater standards may be in effect in your city.

 

•Check with your local building or planning department to find out if graywater is permitted in your city.

 

•Title 17, Chapter 22 also has information regarding graywater systems http://www.cdph.ca.gov/certlic/drinkingwater/Documents/Recharge/Purplebookupdate6-01.PDF (NOTE: Graywater is considered an “unapproved auxiliary water supply” NOT recycled water.)

 

•Because there is so much misinformation available, a great place to start your exploration of graywater is with its recognized guru, Art Ludwig. After reading this page of his web site: http://www.oasisdesign.net/greywater/index.htm, you will have a good understanding of the suitability of a graywater system for your property.

 

•Another good resource is Graywater Guidelines available from WaterCASA at:

       http://www.watercasa.org/graywaterguidelines.php. This document is based on Arizona State law but includes a lot of helpful information including system diagrams.

 

Graywater

 

A few rules of thumb:

~ For minimum hassle, the things you want to water should be downhill from the lowest point in your graywater system. Simple systems cost less and will be cost effective in a shorter period of time.

 

~ No matter how much graywater you produce (up to 30,000 gallons per year for a house that has water-efficient showers, faucets and clothes washers), you will probably still need a conventional potable irrigation system on at least part of your property.

 

~ Putting in a graywater system is not something that is going to save you a lot of money. But it is one of the most effective things you can do to cut your exterior water use and reduce sewer waste.

 

~ Besides the cost of the graywater system, irrigation system, and cross-connection devices, may be charged for permitting fees plus yearly testing by a certified cross-connection tester.