A New Era: Anxious water districts, green plumbers, and Australian marketers predict blue skies ahead for graywater

Graywater is defined as wastewater, collected separately from sewage flow, which originates from a clothes washer, bathtub, shower, or sink—but not from a kitchen sink, dishwasher, or toilet.

Graywater, as a conservation method, has gained wide acceptance with water agencies in drought-ridden Australia, but not in the United States, where it’s been constricted by public indifference, as well as inconsistent health and building codes. Despite these challenges, some states (New Mexico recently adopted most of Arizona’s guidelines) and water agencies are pushing ahead, and their efforts are about to get a significant boost from a convergence of powerful forces.

To learn more, click on A New Era to read the full story in the May-June 2008 issue of Water Efficiency – The Journal for Water Conservation Professionals.

Posted December 2008