Incorporating ecological awareness while integrating greywater reuse regulations into existing decentralized management and water reuse enhancement plans: Improving user awareness and accountability as well as management capability and adaptability

Background/Question/Methods

Regaining an ecological awareness of water and waste cycles is necessary for management of greywater separation and reuse systems as well as enhancement of decentralized water management practices and water reuse initiatives. Greywater Separation and ReUse (GyWRU) allows used water to substitute valuable purchased potable water and well-pumped groundwater. It’s functional reuse is legal in approximately 20 states; however, its definition and utility is highly inconsistent, where confusion and misuse can exacerbate risks. Distinguishing greywater from other types of reclaimed water is essential to understanding its efficiency and utility. Greywater utility is also dependant upon successful user awareness programs that focus on behaviors and contaminants, a problem that similarly hinders decentralized management of on-site waste treatment systems.

This policy analysis shows the benefits and barriers of policy approach alternatives that integrate greywater considerations into existing management plans compared with existing state statutory and administrative regulations. Based on a states’ limited resources regarding decentralized management infrastructure and watershed resource challenges, recommendations are made to address a state’s immediate infrastructure and conservation needs while maximizing flexibility to respond to future capacity needs.

Results/Conclusions

A state comparison of existing statutory and administrative approaches to greywater policy as well as a risk analysis of policy approach alternatives describes how a state’s adaptability is dependant upon adopting a consensus on reclaimed water definitions and utility, as well as providing basic Best Management Practices to hinder the risks of misuse. States where water conservation issues are prominant, based on an index of increasing water rates, would benefit from early adoption of separation and reuse technologies like greywater, which require used-water separation and dual plumbing infrastructure planning and user awareness programs. If these considerations are integrated during existing infrastructure maintenance and enhancement planning, states can both respond quicker to water resource planning initiatives and at a lower cost of implementation.

The result of this policy analysis and state regulatory comparison are clear recommendations related to one thread of an integrated water management strategy that intends to clear up confusion and risks related to greywater reuse as an emerging technology. The recommendations relate clearly to enhancing decentralized management adaptability by increased ecological awareness of water and waste cycles and preparing for sustainable practices with dual plumbing and separation infrastructure.