Greywater: Now A Legal Resource

Greywater, usually considered ‘wastewater’ and flushed away, can be reused for irrigation to grow food and other plants. Photo: Dan Ehresman

   The state of California has adopted new Greywater Code, and proponents of innovative water conservation methods are celebrating.

Most of California faces an ongoing water crisis, and in a June letter to Gov. Schwarzenegger, the Natural Resources Defense Council recommended four key water management tools, “...including efficiency, water recycling, improved groundwater management, and urban groundwater capture.”  

Additionally communities are abuzz with new ideas for preserving our ecosystems, such as responsible stormwater management, rainwater harvest and low impact development. Now there’s a new tool in the toolbox to reduce the impacts of development in rural and urban watersheds: A revised, realistic Greywater Code.  

Last February, in response to annual drought conditions throughout California, Gov. Schwarzenegger declared a State of Emergency and called for a 20 percent reduction in urban per capita water use by December 31, 2020. The much-improved Greywater Code is an important step to reach this goal.

The new standards, which took effect in August, allow for the installation of simple, low-cost greywater systems with little agency oversight so long as general rules are followed with regard to health and safety.   

The failure to reuse greywater is one cause of overburdened sewage treatment facilities and spetic systems. Pictured, sewage outfall in Delray Beach. Photo: Steve Spring/Marine Photobank

What is Greywater?

Greywater is “waste” water from household sinks, showers, bathtubs and washing machines that has not been contaminated by bodily waste or toxic chemicals.  It comprises 50 to 80 percent of residential wastewater.  

“It’s a shame to lose this precious resource when greywater can be reused for other purposes, especially landscape irrigation,” states author and greywater advocate Art Ludwig in his book Create an Oasis with Greywater. Utilizing greywater for irrigation of trees, shrubs and gardens has proven to be a safe and effective water management strategy.

Humboldt County residents use, on average, 140 gallons of water per person per day.  A residence with a well-designed greywater system can reduce household potable water consumption by up to 80 percent – a significant savings in areas burdened with supply issues. 

While a few Humboldt Bay towns and cities are faced with the odd circumstance of an overabundance of municipal water supply, much of the rest of the county experiences seasonally low water levels. The Redway Community Services District issued restrictions on residential water use this year. The Mattole, Eel, Van Duzen, and other local rivers are critically low in summer months, resulting in dire consequences for salmon and other aquatic species.

The Sewage Connection 

In addition to water supply issues, failing septic tanks and overburdened sewage treatment facilities plague many local municipalities. Aging wastewater infrastructure and facilities are functioning at or close to capacity in wet weather months due to infiltration of rainwater. 

Moreover, even when our sewage treatment facilities are functioning properly, treated water – loaded with contaminants – is released into Humboldt Bay and local waterways. Failing septic systems also contribute contaminants daily to our surface and groundwater.

As Ludwig points out in his book, reducing a septic system’s flow by taking out the greywater greatly extends its service life and capacity. Aside from the obvious savings obtained by utilizing “wastewater” for irrigation, greywater reuse decreases the burden on both septic and sewage systems. It also reduces the use of toxins such as chlorine during the treatment process and decreases the amount of contaminated effluent released into the ocean and other waterways.

Greywater reuse provides many other benefits, including: 

• Natural Treatment – Provides more effective treatment and is less energy and chemical intensive than municipal treatment facilities;

• Nutrient Cycling – closing the loop – Allows reclamation of otherwise wasted nutrients such as those found in biocompatible laundry soap;

• Groundwater Recharge – Replenishes groundwater supply;

• Education – Increases water awareness, which leads to more informed use of household chemicals and increases water conservation.

California’s revised Greywater Code is an important step toward sustainable stewardship of the planet. And while greywater reuse may not solve all of California’s water woes, it has the capacity to connect our water usage in our homes to the water needed in our gardens, bringing us ever closer to the understanding of how our everyday choices affect our immediate environment.

Dan Ehresman is a regenerative design consultant and serves as a  policy analyst for Healthy Humboldt, a coalition of public interest organizations working for a County General Plan that provides healthy housing and transportation choices while protecting resource lands and watersheds.

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