In October, 2022, of the twenty six bills listed below, Gov. Jerry Brown signed into law seve of the twnety six water related bills listed further down this article.
Graywater laws in the US vary greatly from state to state. According to the new State Plumbing Code, California doesn’t require permits for laundry systems that don’t alter household plumbing (often referred to as "laundry to landscape" systems), but does require them for other types of systems in which plumbing must be altered, such as graywater from showers, tubs, and bathroom sinks.
Graywater systems vary greatly depending on the context. A retrofitted system reusing water from the washing machine in an existing house will look completely different from a system designed during the planning phase in an apartment building. Be prepared to tweak it!
Graywater can replace tap water for non-potable water needs, such as irrigation, toilet flushing, clothes washing and numerous industrial processes. Matching water end use with the best water source is the way to go!
In the United States, the rough estimate of per capita graywater production is 28 gallons per person per day (AWWA 1999), or about 10,000 gallons per person per year. For a four-person household, this would total 40,880 gallons per year of graywater. Based on the USGS estimates of 124 gallons per person a day in California (indoor and outdoor use), a four person household uses approximately 181,400 gallons each year. This same household can expect to defray 22% of their potable water needs by utilizing graywater.
In California, “graywater” (also spelled greywater) is water that comes from: bathroom sinks, showers, tubs and clothes washing machines.
