A committee will write rules for gray-water reuse, a practice that was once against the law.
A 15-person state committee is helping the DEQ write rules for gray-water reuse – the capture and reuse of laundry and drain water outside.
Changing the rules for reusing gray water could have a positive effect on the green-building industry. The practice was once against the law and required an expensive permit application.
“Anybody who wanted to reuse gray water had to treat it like wastewater,” said Ron Doughten, DEQ’s water reuse program coordinator. That involved getting permits and building an on-site treatment plant, complete with testing and disinfection.
The permit application alone would cost $6,000, with an additional $1,500 per year for DEQ fees. That isn’t exactly practical for a small business or homeowner, Doughten said.
Read the full story at the Daily Journal of Commerce.
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