BREAKING NEWS! #1
Grey Water Legislation Battles
by Linda Nave
In 1999 the Soap and Detergent Assoc. found that over 13% of California households had some sort of grey water system (1.8 million homes). The Soap Industry immediately saw the marketing opportunity and started pumping out eco friendly laundry soaps. The fact that only 250 residential grey water permits had been issued statewide didn’t bother the soap industry but it did bother legislators. The governor’s office demanded the Department of Water Resources (DWR), the governmental body that was overseeing the Greywater Building Codes, issue a sensible residential code.
As the triennial Building Code review came and went, several times, it was clear that DWR had snubbed their underwater noses at the governor’s demand. In 2008 the California Senate took hold of the situation with SB1258 which terminated the authority of DWR over greywater and handed it over to the Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD). HCD was directed to convene and consult a stakeholder’s group, review regulations from other areas of the nation and research all possible health hazards from greywater reuse indoors and out.
The result was a new California Building Code in 2010 that supported residential greywater reuse for the first time in California history.
In 2011 the County Board of Supervisors passed the Marin County Greywater Ordnance. The San Geronimo Valley Planning Group participated in the review and implementation of the ordinance which provided direction to County Environmental Health and the Building Department supporting Countywide residential greywater reuse.
The California Building codes are up for review again. During stakeholder meetings it became apparent that sweeping changes have been proposed for the entire plumbing code. The first two versions of the proposed code were stepping back to the overly strict codes of the past. Concerned that greywater was taking a huge step backward I emailed Doug Hensel of HCD who is responsible for the California Building Code and the Cal Green Codes. I was pleasantly surprised when he took the time to call me and explain that he and his team are working to get the proposed code whipped into shape. Doug was reluctant to commit to a date as to when the third proposed code would be ready for review by stake holders. HCD must submit final code to the Dept. of State Building Regulations on June 1st. Here’s hoping that third times’ a greywater charm!
We will keep you posted on developments.
BREAKING NEWS! #2
Grey water Study Endorsed
By Eric Morey
A study of 100 greywater systems has been endorsed and supported by the Planning Group. The study will assess user satisfaction, water savings, plant health, soil health, and system maintenance. This will be the largest study of existing greywater systems in the US to date. This study will survey one hundred simple, low tech greywater systems in California. The study will consist of an in-person survey about basic system information, costs, user satisfaction, operations of system, system maintenance, water savings, plant health, and soil health. Two soil samples will be collected from each site, one of greywater irrigated land, and the other from non-greywater irrigated land. Soil will be tested for soil texture, salinity, pH, and boron. One water sample of greywater will be taken from each system and tested for salinity, boron, pH, and total dissolved solids. The Planning Group has funded three site surveys. For more information visit this webpage: http://greywateraction.org/content/greywater-study or contact Laura Allen at laura@greywateraction.org. Donations to the study are gladly accepted. GreyWaterAction.org is a great source for information on supplies and installing greywater systems. Water rates are going up. Save some money with a greywater system for your landscaping.
BREAKING NEWS! #3
Marin Clean Energy Now
By Rafael Silberblatt, MCE Program Coordinator
Marin Clean Energy (MCE) offers Marin County residents a unique opportunity to make a real difference in the health of our environment. The local not-for-profit will become the default electric generation provider this coming July which means that every electric customer in Marin will be enrolled in MCE’s Light Green 50% renewable energy option unless the customer chooses to opt out.
For those who just can’t wait, or for those with a deeper commitment to clean energy, it’s possible to sign up for the Deep Green 100% renewable energy option right now. In fact, to celebrate the fast-approaching milestone of 1,000 Deep Green customers, MCE will be donating $1,000 to a local non-profit organization (to be selected by new Deep Green enrollees).
If solar is your thing, MCE pays the retail rate plus $.01 per kilowatt hour for excess electricity. In addition, MCE will pay $4.00 for every month that a customer generates more electricity than they consume.
Marin Clean Energy will mail 3 opt out notices to customers who are scheduled for the July enrollment in early April, mid-April, and mid-May. Customers who do not opt out will also receive 2 notices after their enrollment with Marin Clean Energy in late July and late August. To learn more about Marin Clean Energy visit www.marincleanenergy.com or call (888) 632-3674.