ACTION: How to send an email in support of new Grey Water Codes

[Zeno Swijtink]

From: John Shurtz, President, Green Builders of Marin
Sent: Saturday, March 21, 2009 6:44 PM
Subject: How to send an email in support of new Grey Water Codes


Dear advocates for a change in California grey water policy,
We have a small window of*opportunity to have our voices heard.

The California Department of Housing & Community Development (DHCD) is now accepting public comment on building standards for grey water systems. Without your support, they may not make any change to the California building code*that currently*requires complex and cost prohibitive systems for grey water.

Please write by March 31st (or*edit attached sample letter) to Jim Rowland at [email protected] to let him know your thoughts. Without a change, our water future continues to be precarious and will continue*allowing about 1/3 of our water to go to waste when it could instead be reused on landscapes. Arizona, New Mexico and Texas all have progressive grey water codes that can be used as the template for change in California. *


Act now to help:

*** Stave off future water rationing
*** Reduce potential loss of valuable landscaping
*** Keep water costs down
*** Allow Californians to be part of the solution


If you have questions or would like to learn more try these web sites:

https://www.oasisdesign.net/greywate...a/brochure.pdf
Graywater (also spelled greywater, graywater, gray water)
BuildingGreen.com - EBN: 17:5 - Alternative Water Sources: Supply-Side Solutions for Green Buildings scroll down to Grey Water



John Shurtz,
LEED AP, CGBP & Green Point Rater
President, Green Builders of Marin
Tel: 415.884.0700
Fax: 415.884.0713
Home Page



Text of Letter to Jim Roland


To: Jim Rowland *[email protected]
Department of Housing and Community Development
Division of Codes and Standards
1800 3rd Street, Room 260 Sacramento, Ca 95811
(916) 327-3809 fax (916) 327-4712


Dear Mr. Roland,

As a concerned resident and water user in California, I urge you to amend the California Plumbing Code and allow for simple residential grey water systems.

Our future water needs demand action now to implement all options available to face our continued water supply uncertainty.

The states of Arizona, New Mexico and Texas have done the groundwork for us so we do not have to reinvent the wheel. Concerns regarding bacteria and safety issues have not surfaced since 400 gallon per day simple residential grey water systems have been tracked and legally in use since 2001.

Thank you for giving this important matter your*immediate attention,

Sincerely,

[occihoff]

Thanks for bringing this up, Zeno! This is a matter dear to my heart! Here's what I emailed:

Mr. Roland,
As a resident of a semi-rural neighborhood in Occidental, California, who has been through the mill with my county permit department, I urge you to amend the California Plumbing Code and allow for simple residential grey water systems.
In light of our current and future water scarcity, present codes should be reexamined and new practical, effective, and affordable solutions considered.
I understand that Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas have permitted 400 gallon per day simple residential grey water systems since 2001, and bacterial and other safety problems have not materialized. Here in Sonoma County the final response to squash any call for reform has always been--of all things--hookworm! The official solution is always to require fancy "Rube Goldberg"-type ulta-mechanical and ultra-expensive contraptions. Surely we must be able to find a better way!
But even here the county has recently decided to experiment with, not just alternative greywater systems, but entire composting systems. Your efforts on the federal level would be an excellent complement to this, and hopefully help to inspire a new attitude of open-mindedness in general to dealing with this issue.
Another place to look for solutions is the Scandinavian countries, especially Sweden. I'm especially intrigued by their widely permitted Aquatron flush composting system, that employs a low-flush toilet that separates solids and liquid with a simple centrifugal separator. The solids then fall into a composting bin utilizing worms that reportedly reduce solid mass by 90%, while the brown water, along with household grey water, are sterilized in an ultraviolet chamber before passing through to irrigate landscaping.
Thank you for your consideration!
--Richard Hoff

From: John Shurtz, President, Green Builders of Marin
Sent: Saturday, March 21, 2009 6:44 PM
Subject: How to send an email in support of new Grey Water Codes


Dear advocates for a change in California grey water policy,
We have a small window of*opportunity to have our voices heard.

The California Department of Housing & Community Development (DHCD) is now accepting public comment on building standards for grey water systems. Without your support, they may not make any change to the California building code*that currently*requires complex and cost prohibitive systems for grey water.

Please write by March 31st (or*edit attached sample letter) to Jim Rowland at [email protected] to let him know your thoughts. Without a change, our water future continues to be precarious and will continue*allowing about 1/3 of our water to go to waste when it could instead be reused on landscapes. Arizona, New Mexico and Texas all have progressive grey water codes that can be used as the template for change in California. *


Act now to help:

*** Stave off future water rationing
*** Reduce potential loss of valuable landscaping
*** Keep water costs down
*** Allow Californians to be part of the solution


If you have questions or would like to learn more try these web sites:

https://www.oasisdesign.net/greywate...a/brochure.pdf
Graywater (also spelled greywater, graywater, gray water)
BuildingGreen.com - Home />BuildingGreen.com - EBN: 17:5 - Alternative Water Sources: Supply-Side Solutions for Green Buildings scroll down to Grey Water



John Shurtz,
LEED AP, CGBP & Green Point Rater
President, Green Builders of Marin
Tel: 415.884.0700
Fax: 415.884.0713
Home Page />Home Page



Text of Letter to Jim Roland


To: Jim Rowland *[email protected]
Department of Housing and Community Development
Division of Codes and Standards
1800 3rd Street, Room 260 Sacramento, Ca 95811
(916) 327-3809 fax (916) 327-4712


Dear Mr. Roland,

As a concerned resident and water user in California, I urge you to amend the California Plumbing Code and allow for simple residential grey water systems.

Our future water needs demand action now to implement all options available to face our continued water supply uncertainty.

The states of Arizona, New Mexico and Texas have done the groundwork for us so we do not have to reinvent the wheel. Concerns regarding bacteria and safety issues have not surfaced since 400 gallon per day simple residential grey water systems have been tracked and legally in use since 2001.

Thank you for giving this important matter your*immediate attention,

Sincerely,