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Paper Abstract: Discussion of California's graywater program. Recycling of used (gray) water for landscapting and agricultural water supply. Usefulness as a water conservation measure. Irrigation of home gardens. California's use of recycled black water for use as a crop irrigant. Health concerns. Recycling water as part of water resources planning. Paper Introduction: Introduction Water conservation is an important concern in many parts of the country and so technology for recycling water is expanding. It is estimated that homeowners waste an average of 33 percent of the available drinking water every day, using it for landscape irrigation (Coder, 2001). Slightly used water is known as gray water, and can be used as a landscaping and agricultural water supply, and also for flushing toilets. It is not safe to drink gray water (Jett, 2001). Across America, toilet flushing and landscape watering are the major home uses of drinkable water. Black water, water from sewage, cannot be used for these purposes. In 1992, the Los Angeles Office of Water Reclamation looked at using gray water for irrigating gardens and found there was no Text of the Paper: The entire text of the paper is shown below. However, the text is somewhat scrambled. We want to give you as much information as we possibly can about our papers and essays, but we cannot give them away for free. In the text below you will find that while disordered, many of the phrases are essentially intact. From this text you will be able to get a solid sense of the writing style, the concepts addressed, and the sources used in the research paper. A gray watersystem for a new home costs anywhere from a few hundred to a few thousanddollars, depending on the level of sophistication (Hefger, 1993). How can you collectand use it in your garden? It is approved for dripirrigations systems, but not for spray systems.Conclusions Gray water can prove a useful water conservation measure in areaswhere water supplies are restricted, or during periods of drought. Using gray water on the landscape.http://www.griffin.peachnet.edu/caes/drought/content/gwlands.htm Goldstein, J. Products containing boron shouldbe avoided. Gentle soaps are easier on the garden, and those with perfumes,lanolin and other chemicals should be avoided (Using Grey Water, 1999).Biodegradable detergents should be used (Jett, 2 1). References Appendix G: Graywater Systems. Innovation trends in urban water supplyand sanitation.htt../Innovation%2 Trends%2 in%2OUrban%2 Water%2 Supply%2 and%2 Sanitation.ht Questions about gray water: is it safe, legal? San Diego Earth Times,(1993, December).Http://www.sdearthtimes.com/et1293/et1293s7.html Is there information available regarding the use of gray water forresidential landscape in California? Typhoid fever, amoebic dysentery and hepatitis are health problemswhich can arise if gray water is not properly disinfected. Using gray water in the garden. It will depend upon the types of cleaning products used such assoaps, laundry detergents and household cleaners, and the cleaning habitsof the home's occupants. In 1992, the Los Angeles Office of Water Reclamation looked at usinggray water for irrigating gardens and found there was no greater healthrisk associated with the use of below-ground gray water irrigation thanwith conventional watering methods (Hefger, 1993). Spading intothe top few inches five to 1 pounds of agricultural gypsum per 1 squarefeet will help this problem. Organic farmers in California are now considering the use ofthis recycled water to irrigate their crops. Though not typically referred to as gray water, recycled water fromsewage treatment plants is increasingly being used for agriculturalirrigation in areas where water is scarce. However, California is leading the way in usingrecycled black water for use as a crop irrigant, and so far it does notseem to present any health hazards, fear of which have prevented its use inthe past. (199 ). Graywater irrigation should be rotated with fresh water irrigation to leach outany build up of harmful materials, according to John W. (2 1). (2 1). Introduction Water conservation is an important concern in many parts of thecountry and so technology for recycling water is expanding. The average weekly yield from a bathroom sink isroughly 14 gallons per person. Has the California Building Standards Commission approved revisedCalifornia graywater standards? Bleach should be minimized or eliminated in washingmachine water to be used for gray water. Coder, K. (2 1). Detergents heavy insodium-based compounds such as softening powders should be avoided (UsingGrey Water, 1999). Some large hotels install them anduse the gray water as the water supply for flushing toilets. It "shall not be used for vegetable gardens," according tothe California Department of Water Resources regulations, and "shall not beapplied above the land surface or allowed to surface and should not bedischarged directly into or reach any storm sewer or any water of theUnited States" (Appendix G: Graywater Systems, 2 1). Use ofammonia for cleaning is preferable to the use of chlorine. It'smain use is for the irrigation of home gardens, since the source of wateris usually the home, although businesses and industry can produce graywater. In clay, sodium can make the soil very sticky andinterfere with drainage (Questions About Gray Water, 199 ). Agrease trap and a filter to remove particulate matter and fibers arenecessary. Graywater should not be used on plants with limited root areas or forhydroponics. Washing machines typically yield from 3 to 4 gallons of gray waterper load (Questions About Gray Water, 199 ). (1994). 28-31. Chlorine is commonly used as a disinfectant, since water heldfor more than three hours presents a health hazard because it contains moreharmful bacteria than sewage. Gray water can be dispensed through normalirrigation systems. Gray water should not be used directly on anything that is to beeaten, and should not be sprayed, allowed to puddle or run off property(Jett, 2 1). This limits the use of gray waterto residential gardens, and since the regulations also forbid its use onvegetable gardens, even home mini-agriculture plots cannot use gray water. Gray water does not have any long-term effects on soils, although itmay slightly modify soil organism populations, but usually does notinitiate new pest problems (Coder, 2 1). Tanks for holding gray water can be stored either above or belowground (Coder, 2 1). The agency began experimentingwith recycled water after the local wells became contaminated with seawater in the 198 s. Awall made of concrete or sun-burned clay two-compartment stones isconstructed. Contaminated gray water can spread parasites, viruses and bacteria andso can present a serious health hazard if not handled properly (Innis(2 1). While phosphates found in detergents are good for plants, theyare usually found in association with high amounts of sodium. Although state regulations have allowed the use of tertiary treatedwater on agricultural crops for some time, it has been used on cropsproduced for animal fodder, and not those for human consumption (Humpert,2 1). Jett, ahorticultural specialist with the West Virginia University (2 1). One compartment is filled with sand and the other is filledwith compost where plants can grow. Using gray water forirrigation could save between 25 percent and 4 percent of drinkable waterfor human consumption. It is also possible to make modifications to theexisting plumbing system to divert gray water from the house through a sandor gravel filter in the garden and into a holding tank.Gray Water and Landscaping Gray water use by homeowners should be tailored to their particularneeds (Using Grey water, 1999). This form of gray water is not practical for agriculture because itis not produced in sufficient amounts to do more than supply the irrigationneeds at its source. To get the gray water to the garden, it can simply be carried inbuckets, or siphoned from a bathtub or basin to the garden through a hose(Using Grey Water, 1999). BioCycle,42, p. Working in finely ground soil sulfur(three to five pounds per 1 square feet) and tilling in plenty of organicmatter will help lower the pH (Questions About Gray Water, 199 ). Over extendedperiods, sodium levels may build up in soils, which can lead to poordrainage and damage to the roots of plants. Gray water can be used a second time (Coder, 2 1). D. Across America, toiletflushing and landscape watering are the major home uses of drinkable water. The graywater system must also meet governmentstandards and be inspected before use. (2 1). In Southern California, only twoareas have approved gray water use - Santa Barbara and San Louis Obispo.The Department of Water Resources has issued a publication entitled UsingGraywater in your Home Landscape Graywater Guide, which is available at nocost and gives information for the use of gray water for residentiallandscaping in California (Is There Information Available, 2 1).California building standards have been amended to include the use of graywater systems in commercial, industrial, single-family and multi-familyprojects (Has the California Building Standards, 2 1). Before it is treated, sewage isreferred to as black water, and is not used for irrigation. Trickle-down economy. Lighter sandy soils require more water and claysoils require less. If the washing machine discharges into a utilitysink which is above ground level, it may be possibly to discharge it to thegarden by gravity feed. Black water, water from sewage, cannot be used for these purposes. Gray Water in Your Future. citrus, ferns, camellias, gardenias, hydrangeas)because detergents make the water more alkaline (Coder, 2 1; Jett, 2 1;Questions About Gray Water, 199 ). In California, strict guidelines for the use of gray water specifythat it can only be used in specified areas with known soil compositionwhich have been tested for their distance from groundwater sources and meetthe requirements of the Department of Water Regulation (Appendix G:Graywater Systems). Sierra, 79, pp. They evaluated a pilotgray water program undertaken by the city which was later extended to thestate and noted that the water savings potential of a gray water system toan individual home could be as much as 5 percent of all the water used.It is estimated that a family of four, producing 1,652 gallons of graywater per week will produce enough water to irrigate a yard consisting of9 square feet of lawn, 1 mature fruit trees, nine large shade trees and15 large shrubs. Since water shortages are bound to continue, recycling waterwill become a necessary part of future water resources planning. Gray watershould not be used on lawns or to wash walkways, or anywhere people willcome in contact with it (Questions About Gray Water, 199 ).Gray Water and Agriculture Because the source of gray water is mostly from homes, its use isusually restricted to irrigation in the garden of the home collecting thewater. The plumbing apparatus is quite simple, and water isdiverted from sinks, bathtubs and laundry rooms into a holding tank. One rule to follow says a square foot of loamy gardensoil which is rich in organic matter is capable of handling one half gallonof gray water each week. It should bedistributed to flat areas of the garden and delivered directly onto thesoil, not sprayed onto plants (Using Grey Water, 1999). Sunset, 185, pp. Because it may contain detergents, salts, organic matter andpathogens, gray water should only be used for subsurface irrigation (WaterReuse, 2 1). Because of the health hazards associatedwith storing gray water, only as much gray water as can be reasonably usedfor irrigation should be collected and the rest released into the sewer orseptic tank system. However,caution is recommended when using gray water. They must conform to local laws and regulations,which include adequate disinfection and filtering to remove solids, preventodors, control turbidity and foaming, and eliminate health hazards. Household levels of bleaches anddetergents in the water do not cause problems when gray water is used forirrigation of medium and fine-textured soils, but can cause root damagewhen used on coarse sandy soils containing little organic matter. Gray watershould only be used on healthy, established plants because seedlings andhouse plants cannot tolerate the impurities in the waste water. However, it should not be used near wells orgroundwater recharge areas because of the risk of polluting these watersources. (2 1).http://www.dla.water.ca.gov/urban/land/gray.html Jett, J. A wall three meters high and three meters long is largeenough to absorb the average yield of gray water from a typical household. Recycled water saves California farms.BioCycle, 42, pp. However, assewage treatment methods improve, more waste water may be used inagriculture. Forexample, a build-up of chlorine bleach from laundry gray water may damageplants, especially the foliage, says Jett. 72-73. Gardening; doing double duty: recyclingsystems let households get two uses out of some of their water. It should bedispersed over a large area and a thick layer of compost mulch should beapplied to areas irrigated with gray water. Growers in the Salinasvalley are connected to the Monterey (California) Regional Water PollutionControl Agency's pipeline system and use this form of gray water for twothirds of their agricultural water needs. Gray water has few detrimental effects when used to irrigate trees andshrubs, except that it may be unsuitable for acid-loving plants (azaleas,begonias, rhododendrons. This means that the physical, chemical andbiological characteristics of gray water will vary from home to home andbusiness to business. LosAngeles Times, p. (1993, February). Soaps are less harmful to plants than detergents but both may causeproblems over time because they contain sodium salts which can damage thesoil structure, create alkaline conditions and burn plant leaves (UsingGrey Water, 1999). The bricks are stacked to a height ofthree meters. P. Water reuse. In 1997, the Monterey agency completed a $78 millionreclamation project and use of recycled water for crop irrigation began.Tests had been carried out which showed there was no more risk ofcontamination of the crops than with conventional irrigation watersupplies. Even if these pathogens were to survive inthe garden atmosphere, it is unlikely they would be assimilated by theroots and transported to the edible portion of food plants. (1999). Tests have been conducted to determinethe safety of applying tertiary treated water to food crops, and state andlocal regulators have given approval for such use. Graywater systems are installed on a house-by-house basis rather than at thecommunity level (Water Reuse, 2 1). It contains minute amounts of fertilizers such as phosphates fromdetergents, dirt from laundry, protein from the cells of dead skin shedwhile bathing and showering, and body oil, all of which promote plantgrowth. 21. It includes waterfrom sinks (but not those with garbage disposals attached), dishwashers,bathtubs, showers and water used in washing machines or for hand laundry.According to the California Administrative Code, gray water does notinclude waste water from kitchen sinks, photo lab sinks, dishwashers orlaundry water from soiled diapers (Appendix G: Gray Water Systems, 2 1).If this gray water is used, it can almost double home water-use efficiencyas well as provide water for irrigating the garden. (2 1).http://www.dla.water.ca.gov/urban/land/revisedgwsstand.html Carter, R. Humpert, C. (2 1).http://www.dla.water.ca.gov/urban/land/approvedrevised.html Hefger, S. The system is known as "Sanitas Wall" farming. 55. Lawsvary across the country regarding the use of gray water, some placesprohibiting it completely (Innis, 2 1). (2 1).http://www.nr.utah.gov/wtrresc/waterplan/uwrpff/Chp- 5f.htm Countryside & Small StockJournal, 83, p. California is experimenting with using recycled water toirrigate crops (Goldstein, 2 1). Also, potentially harmful bacteria and viruses present in graywater are immobilized by abundant soil organisms which are better suited tothe environment in the soil. Innis, J. W. It isestimated that homeowners waste an average of 33 percent of the availabledrinking water every day, using it for landscape irrigation (Coder, 2 1).Slightly used water is known as gray water, and can be used as alandscaping and agricultural water supply, and also for flushing toilets.It is not safe to drink gray water (Jett, 2 1). However, in Botswana, small-scale urban agriculture using gray wateris being tried on very limited areas in a densely populated city(Niemczynowicz, 2 1). This indicates the tremendous water savingswhich can be brought about by reusing gray water for irrigation purposes.Storing Gray Water Household systems are available for the storage and reuse of graywater (Innis, 2 1). This latter facilitates thenatural decomposition of waste residues in the gray water. The Salinas Valley is one of the nation's largest producers of coldseason vegetable crops intended for human raw consumption, such as lettuceand broccoli. (2 1). Recycling gray water.http://www.wvu.edu/~agextn/hortcult/homegard/graywate.htm Niemczynowicz, J. On the positiveside, there are things in gray water which can be beneficial to lawns andgardens. (2 1). 18-19. Household gray water typically contains high levelsof grease and a large amount of particles and fibers which must be removedbefore the water is reused. Its impact on whole communities would beeconomically favorable, reducing the size of the water-purification plantsand sewage-treatment facilities required.Gray Water Composition The composition of gray water varies depending on several factors: thesource of the water; the plumbing system involved; the life style of thehome occupants; and the personal hygiene habits of the occupants (Coder,2 1). The Department ofWater Resources has also issued a strict set of regulations regarding thetypes of gray water which can be used, how the water is to be treated andstored, and how and where it can be used (Appendix G: Graywater Systems,2 1). Parched soils need recycled water. 4. The yield from showersdepends on the flow rate: for low flow rate shower heads, the average yieldis two to three gallons per minute, and for regular shower heads, from fiveto 8 gallons per minute. If this paper is not what you are looking for, you can search again: Search for: or Click here to request an essay written just for you.

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