Graywater Reuse in Other Countries and its Applicability to Jordan -- continued --

2.2   Legislation

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The following is a summary of the legislative position with regard to graywater reuse in a number of countries. It should not be regarded as exhaustive.

United States

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In 1989, Santa Barbara, California was the first locale in the US to introduce graywater regulations. Following that, domestic graywater reuse has started to become legalized in several US states. In the US, regulations concerning water reuse are made by individual states, as there are no relevant federal laws, although the federal Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC) has addressed graywater systems since its 1994 edition. 

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In 2001, the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality published regulations for residential graywater reuse. These regulations follow a three-tiered approach whereby systems using under 1500 liters per day must meet a list of reasonable conditions, and are covered by a general permit without the need for the householder to apply for anything. Systems producing over 1500 liters per day require a permit, and those over 13,000 liters per day are dealt with on a case by case basis.

Graywater is defined as wastewater collected separately from clothes washers, bathtubs, showers, and sinks. Reuse of wastewater from a kitchen sink, dishwasher, or toilet is specifically prohibited, although a revision of the regulations due in 2003 may permit the use of kitchen sink water under certain conditions.

The conditions for the private residential reuse of graywater include avoidance of human contact between graywater and soil irrigated by graywater, containment of graywater from a particular residence within the property boundary, and graywater usage only for household gardening. In addition, surface application of graywater may not be used for irrigation of food plants, except for fruit trees, and surface irrigation by graywater should be restricted to flood or drip irrigation. Sprinkling is prohibited. The graywater should not contain water used to wash diapers or similarly soiled or infectious garments, unless the graywater is disinfected before irrigation. Likewise, the graywater should not contain hazardous chemicals, for example from cleaning car parts, washing greasy or oily rags, or disposing waste solutions from home photo labs, or similar hobby or home occupational activities.

The regulations require that graywater systems should be constructed so that if blockage, plugging, or backup of the system occurs, graywater can be directed into the sewage collection system or an on-site wastewater treatment system. The graywater system can include a means of filtration to reduce plugging and extend the system’s lifetime.

In addition, any graywater storage tank should be covered to restrict access and to discourage breeding of mosquitoes or other disease bearing insects. The graywater system should not be sited in a floodway and should be operated to maintain a minimum vertical separation distance of at least 1.5 meters from the point of graywater application to the top of the seasonally high groundwater table. Residences with an on-site wastewater treatment facility for blackwater must not change the design, capacity, or reserve area requirements for this facility if installing a graywater system. Any pressure piping used in a graywater system that may be susceptible to cross connection with a potable water system should clearly indicate that the piping does not carry potable water.

These regulations are widely regarded as the most progressive anywhere. The tiered approach makes reuse easy for the ordinary householder and allows for innovation and flexibility of design. They do not prescribe particular design specifics and follow a performance based approach. The blanket prohibitions ensure the protection of human and plant health.

A booklet containing the text of Arizona’s Title 18 Reuse Rules, and some explanatory notes and guidelines are available for download from www.watercasa.org.

US - California

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Although the California Graywater Code – CAC (Title 24, Part 5, Appendix J, Graywater Systems for Single Family Dwellings) was regarded as groundbreaking in its time, it takes a very different approach from that of Arizona and is regarded as only partially successful. This code prescribes graywater system designs, and has been criticized for not allowing flexibility and innovation on the part of the user. The code defines graywater as untreated wastewater that has not come into contact with toilet waste. This includes wastewater from bathtubs, showers, bathroom wash basins, clothes washing machines, and laundry tubs, or an equivalent discharge as approved by the local authority. The code does not allow wastewater from kitchen sinks, photo lab sinks, dishwashers, or laundry water from soiled diapers to be considered as graywater.

The CAC mandates that all graywater systems must discharge into subsurface irrigation fields, and sets procedures for estimating graywater discharge volumes and for determining the irrigation capacity of the soil. The code requires soil percolation tests and/or soil analyses as the basis for determining the required area of ‘disposal’. This code also sets standards for graywater subsurface drip irrigation systems.  The householder therefore must provide significant information to the local authorities before a permit is issued. This acts as a disincentive to graywater reuse and contrasts unfavorably with Arizona’s blanket permit.

To reduce possible health risks that can result from the reuse of graywater, residents in California are prohibited from applying graywater above the land surface or discharging it directly into storm sewers or any body of water. In addition, humans must not contact graywater, except as required to maintain the graywater treatment and distribution system, and graywater must not be used for irrigating vegetable gardens. 

A detailed analysis of the code and a number of suggested improvements are outlined in the ‘Builder’s Greywater Guide’ (Ludwig 1995-1999), and on the Oasis Design web site (www.oasisdesign.net).

US - New Mexico

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New Mexico recently passed a graywater law that is similar in approach to that of Arizona.  As of March 2003, householders can install legal graywater systems without applying for a permit.  Provided the system meets a short list of reasonable requirements that are similar to those in the Arizona law, it is permissible to install a graywater system under one blanket permit for the whole state.

It is expected that such progressive graywater legislation in New Mexico, along with Arizona, may provide a large enough market to provide a foothold for graywater businesses and system innovation in the southwestern US.

US - Texas

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Currently, Title 5 of the Sanitation and Environmental Quality / Subtitle A on Sanitation defines graywater as wastewater from clothes-washing machines, showers, bathtubs, hand-washing lavatories, and sinks that are not used for disposal of hazardous or toxic ingredients (Regulations: Chapter 285: On-Site Sewage Facilities (1999), www.tceq.state.tx.us). The Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners is currently developing rules for the reuse of residential graywater in irrigation and for other agricultural, domestic, commercial, and industrial purposes, to assure that the use of graywater does not damage the quality of surface water and groundwater in the state.

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In Nevada, sewage disposal is regulated under the Nevada Administrative Code (February 1998; see www.weblife.org/humanure/appendix3.html). Graywater may be used for sub-surface irrigation if approved by the administrative authority. A home owner must obtain a permit from the administrative authority before a graywater system may be constructed, altered, or installed. A system that uses graywater for underground irrigation may be used only for a single-family dwelling. In addition, the graywater system must have a holding tank for graywater that is watertight and formed of solid, durable materials. The piping for a system that uses graywater for sub-surface irrigation, which discharges into the holding tank or is directly connected to the building sewer, must be downstream of any vented trap to protect the building from possible sewer gases.

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In 2002, the State of Massachusetts enacted a comprehensive wastewater reuse and graywater management plan (Government of Massachusetts, Chapter 176 of the Acts of 2002, www.state.ma.us/legis/laws/seslaw02/sl020176.htm). Graywater is similarly defined as in other states, but also may include cleaning water from public and commercial facilities and buildings. Graywater does not include wastewater discharged from toilets, urinals and drains equipped with garbage grinders, although kitchen sink and dishwater water is not prohibited. Regulations and guidelines are due to be issued in June 2003.

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A pilot program initiated in 2001 to study the effects of graywater is under way and may lead to regulations or guidelines allowing the reuse of graywater in this state.

US – Washington State

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Washington State also issues permits and guidelines for the use of graywater for subsurface irrigation (drain-field or drip irrigation) of ornamental plants, provided certain design requirements are fulfilled (Washington State, Department of Health, Wastewater Management Section, www.doh.wa.gov/ehp/ts/waste.htm).

Australia

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The use of treated ‘blackwater’ effluent from centralized wastewater treatment plants is gaining popularity in Australia. However nationwide regulations state that all domestic wastewater - fecal matters, urine, household slops, liquid wastes from sinks, baths, and all similar fixtures - (Queensland Sewerage and Water Supply Act 1949 -1982) must be disposed of into the sewer system, if there is one. Graywater reuse therefore is permitted only in non-sewered areas, where it is regulated by state and local government health acts. In the Australian state of Queensland, the installation of any graywater system, including those intended for toilet and urinal flushing, must first be authorized by the regulatory authorities. However, Queensland sewage and water supply legislation is currently under review. Victoria and other states also are investigating their graywater options. National guidelines for the use of reclaimed water in Australia and New Zealand recently have been published but are focused on disposal of the wastewater rather than reuse, and do not refer explicitly to treatment or application of graywater (AS/NZS 1547-2000, On Site Domestic Wastewater Management, 2000).

Cyprus

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As already noted, the Government of Cyprus is promoting the use of graywater, in individual houses, hotels, swimming pools, and football grounds. In Cyprus, ‘graywater’ includes water from baths, showers, hand or washbasins and washing machines, but does not include water from toilets and kitchens.

UK

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Graywater reuse is not widespread in the UK, and specific legislation regulating the use of graywater does not exist. The key regulatory requirement is compliance with the Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations 1999 (HMSO 1999 Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations 1999. Statutory Instruments No. 1148, No. 1506, Water Industry, England and Wales), which requires that mains water and other water supplied is protected against back-flow and cross-connection, and that non-mains water pipes are easily distinguished.  The regulations also are applicable to certain aspects of graywater use, since any overflow from the graywater storage unit must discharge in either a foul or combined sewer. The Water Regulation Advisory Scheme (WRAS) has published information and guidance on reclaimed water systems, some of which is relevant to graywater systems (Water Regulation Advisory Scheme 1999a & 1999b). However, all of this documentation is geared towards reuse for toilet flushing rather than landscape irrigation.