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California Drought Opens Gray Water Approval Statewide
California regulators have opened the floodgates for using "gray water"
by issuing an emergency decision that allows residents to create simple
water-reuse systems without a construction permit.
Gray water includes wastewater from showers, bathtubs, bathroom sinks, laundry tubs and washing machines, but not from toilets, kitchen sinks or dishwashers. Homeowners still must follow state guidelines for installation and use. The rules require minimal contact between people and the gray water, for instance by covering the water-release point with at least 2 inches of rock, mulch or other material. 'GRAY WATER' FACTSNew state rules provide permit exemptions for some residential gray-water systems, but people still have to follow several requirements. They include:
Online: For more information about California's new standards for gray-water systems, go to uniontrib.com/more/gray. Roughly 1.7 million gray-water systems are installed statewide. Most are illegal because homeowners almost always avoid permits and the associated fees. Do-it-yourselfers can build a gray-water system for $200 or less, but permitting-process costs can more than double the expense. A standard home generates about 160 gallons of gray water per day, or nearly 60,000 gallons per year, state officials said. A family of four could reuse 22,000 gallons a year by tapping the rinse water from its washing machine.
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The system must allow users to direct water to an irrigation field or the sewer.
