Grey Water Systems

[Alias]

Is anybody allowing the recycling/use of grey water in their jurisdiction? If so, how do you permit it? And does anybody have a basic design? Just trying to gear up before the new codes take effect and are no longer optional.....

Sue, in the drought-stricken high desert..................

 

[jim baird]

Re: Grey Water Systems

I have tried to attach a PDF of our state's guide to gray water but site won't let me upload a PDF.

 

[Alias]

Re: Grey Water Systems

I have tried to attach a PDF of our state's guide to gray water but site won't let me upload a PDF.

Jim -

I just e-mailed you my regular e-mail addy. Anybody else need it, please pm me.

Thanks in advance!

Sue

 

[peach]

Re: Grey Water Systems

allow it..

what's wrong with using laundry or shower water (or rain water) to flush the toilet before it finds it's way to the Anacostia River?

having said that... you need to worry about cross connections and back flow. UB knows more about this stuff than I do..

 

[conarb]

Re: Grey Water Systems

Sue:

Our Green Building code says the following:

Department of Water Resources

Gray Water Installations Standards . . . . . . . (916) 651-9667

GRAYWATER. Untreated household waste which has not come into contact with toilet waste. Graywater includes used water from bathtubs, showers, bathroom wash basins, and water from clotheswashing machines and laundry tubs. It shall not include waste water from kitchen sinks, dishwashers or laundry water from soiled diapers.

I'd say to call the Department of Water Resources and see what standards they have. Knowing state employees your call may be the first they've heard of it. I wonder how they are going to enforce dumping the laundry water into the cistern while making mothers segregate the diapers? Part of this ecology movement is to go back to washing cloth diapers so we don't fill the landfills with disposable diapers.

 

[vegas paul]

Re: Grey Water Systems

If you have had any LEED certified submissions to your department, they will likely include gray water systems. The designs I've seen are pretty sophisticated, and have no problems with cross-connection or cross-contamination issues.

 

[Alias]

Re: Grey Water Systems

Thanks for the all for the responses.

Peach - Just trying to get some info for pemitting and fees, etc. I don't have a problem okaying it. Heck, I might want to do it to water my landscaping.

ConArb - Thanks for the number, maybe I'll call. Oh wait, it's "furlough Friday" for the state. :mrgreen:

Vegas Paul - I am planning in case I get the DIY crowd. There will be no LEED plans, just Joe and Jane rerouting their plumbing on a Saturday afternoon. :roll: :mrgreen: 75% of the county and a portion of the city are on septic systems, could be a large problem if done incorrectly.

Sue

 

[peach]

Hey Sue,

Reusing gray water is a good thing for septic systems... slows the flow of basically clean water into the drainfield.

The problem (and it's a design/plan review problem before it becomes an inspection issue) is cross connection. There's a risk of polluting the potable water system with the gray water. OK, so all the water going to the toilets is from the washing machine and lavatories.. so.. if I only do one load of laundry a week, and don't have sufficient gray water for the toilets... what happens?

Great idea.. but more to think about.

 

[conarb]

From what I've read they are having a lot of landscaping problems in Australia where they are doing this:

Graywater includes used water from bathtubs, showers, bathroom wash basins, and water from clotheswashing machines and laundry tubs. It shall not include waste water from kitchen sinks, dishwashers or laundry water from soiled diapers.

Now I'm hearing mosquito problems here in the cisterns being used.

In addition we are going to have to create a water budget for the state, as well pipe the gray water system to our toilets.

604.1 Water budget. A water budget shall be developed for landscape irrigation use that conforms to the local water efficient landscape ordinance or to the California Department of Water Resources ModelWater Efficient Landscape Ordinance where no local ordinance is applicable.

603.5 Dual plumbing. New buildings and facilities shall be dual plumbed for potable and recycled water systems for toilet flushing when recycled water is available as determined by the enforcement authority.

Sue, I think we should move to Texas, think we can survive all that heat, humidity and desolation?

 

[peach]

2009 IRC Appendix O .. I think it's a great idea to allow

 

[Alias]

2009 IRC Appendix O .. I think it's a great idea to allow

So do I! I don't have Appendix O as we have the CPC based on the IAPMO code.

Sue, in the high desert

 

[Alias]

Sue, I think we should move to Texas, think we can survive all that heat, humidity and desolation?

ConArb -

No Texas for me, I couldn't stand the heat and humidity. I disliked Florida immensely. Desolation, no problem.

I'm actually looking at the UP in MI. Planning a visit this year.

Sue, retirement date - 2020

 

[peach]

you'll like the UP, Sue... maybe no part time jobs unless the economy improves..

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