Rainbow Water Coalition

Reflections on Activism

2012-01-28T12:07:00.000-08:00

A close friend of mine died of cancer this week. Greg Bernaski and I studied geology together as undergraduate and graduate students. Greg taught me to guide whitewater rafts, starting on the North Platte River in Wyoming, the Green, Yampa, Colorado, and San Juan rivers in Utah, and a couple of trips down the Grand Canyon, one which lead to my first flip in Crystal Rapid. We hiked some great canyons in Wyoming and Utah including the magical Paria in Utah. He was a skilled petroleum geologist working for British Petroleum his entire career, both on the Gulf Coast and in Alaska. He was also equally skilled as a hydrogeologist. He was 52.

So what does all of this have to do with activism? I was searching for a suitable quote to post on the online condolences section of his obituary, leading to one from John Wesley Powell that fit the bill. But I found the following surprise:

The activist is not the man who says the river is dirty.

The activist is the man who cleans up the river.

~ Former US Presidential Candidate, Billionaire,

and Apple Computer Investor Ross Perot

Regardless of how one feels about Ross Perot, his politics, his way of doing business, if one remembers his efforts to become elected as an independent in a past presidential race, one recalls this was someone who implemented a "no nonsense" approach to life. Quite frankly, thanks to his foresight, he brought Apple Computer back from a near death with Steve Jobs and we all know the rest of this story.

We read and hear many proselytizing about water scarcity, water pollution, water, water, everywhere, but one has to ask themselves this question - do any of these "prophets" do anything beyond talk?

The Rainbow Water Coalition has been mostly about greywater, including personal adventures in greywater reuse. So, in the spirit of *cleaning up the river* and contrary to my position that the Oregon Graywater Reuse program may fail due to the emphasis on costly permitting, I anticipate securing the first state permit in my community to ramp up my greywater reuse beyond the Hughie. And my students will continue to be lectured about my adventures, hoping the discussions will inspire them to not only talk about water, but do something about water.

I saw Greg a couple of years ago in Alaska, and spoke to him a couple of weeks ago on the telephone. One thing I noted was that he never spoke about being ill or cancer. Upon reflecting on many famous and often quoted activists, I think I now know why.

* * *

The fear of death follows from the fear of life.

A man who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.

~ Mark Twain

Safe Soap Study

2012-01-15T10:49:00.000-08:00

During the course of lecturing about greywater in a class on Sustainability at Oregon State University this past fall, the students asked about the type of soaps that are "safe" for greywater reuse. A good question. I checked Oasis Design, the global leader in greywater reuse. Art Ludwig briefly discusses the issue for laundry soap where he states "... sodium, chlorine and boron are the no-no's. Most do-it-yourself cleaners rely on baking soda or borax, which are truly disastrous for plants". And he wisely recommends learning more in his book.

I have not seen much in the way of research regarding other bathing products, though. This recently published open access article in Energy Procedia titled The Inherent Biodegradability Characteritics of Light Greywater for the Different Bathe Products by Chinese researchers He Weitaoa, Wang Yayia, Yang Jiana, Zhao Xub explores this issue on bath soaps and shampoos. The sources of their research are the mainstream products that frequently show up on TV advertisements.

Their results?

There was little difference in biodegradation between the bathe products...[and]...It revealed that all of the products met the requirements of environmentally friendly products.

Maybe it does not cost extra to save the environment after all.

* * *

It isn't pollution that's harming the environment. It's the impurities in our air and water that are doing it.

~ Former Vice President of the United States Dan Quayle

Purple Pollution Eater

2012-01-06T12:10:00.000-08:00

Not to be confused with the award winning design for an EcoBot by some clever Hamilton Middle School students where team Flying Purple Pollution Eaters *invented the “Inflator,” a robotic device that automatically rolls up to a car’s tires, checks tire pressure and fills tires accordingly, in order to save gas while driving*, the Purple Pollution Eater is a new design for the Indigo Tower - a *Living* Building designed by the Hong Kong-based architecture firm lO.

Balanced Network describes how the Indigo Tower works here.

The high-rise tower pulls dirt, grease and bacteria out of the air. The cleansing reaction is triggered by the use of a nano coating of titanium dioxide (TiO2) on the outer skin of the tower. TiO2 is a very strong oxidation agent triggered by a photocatalyst reaction.

During the day the reaction is naturally powered by sunlight acting on the titanium dioxide skin. At night the reaction is maintained by a series of ultraviolet lights that are powered by energy collected from photovoltaic panels during the day.

The tower will be a glowing indigo object at night varying in intensity according to the amount of solar energy collected during the day. The indigo glow will become symbolic of the 24-hour cleansing; counteracting the haze that often dominates more and more cities around the world.

And the connection to greywater you ask?

A series of gardens are located at regular intervals all the way up the tower. They become public gathering spaces as well as marsh lands to collect the water from the chemical reactions of the skin and to filter and process gray water from the towers. The plants also turn the carbon dioxide, created in the chemical reaction of the skin, back into oxygen.

It is paramount to have the plants help maintain the base-level carbon neutrality. A large pool around the base of the tower is the final collection point of the filtered water, which goes to support a large amount of animal and plant life. Water is also pumped back up the towers from the pool to service toilets. Furthermore, the pool at the base acts as a heat sink for the release of the heat generated from a back-up air-conditioning system. Here, the heat is released slowly, thus helps reduce the heat island effect.

Earth to Oregon Sustainability Center - now here is a building design that is truly going to set Oregon apart from those other *Living Buildings* and might turn the heads of those skeptical politicians.

* * *

If all the buildings in a central business district followed the indigo technology, airborne pollution could be drastically reduced by up to 80 percent. Mere neutrality is not enough—new buildings must work together to enhance the quality of the physical environment. ~ 10 Design

Greywater in the Holy Land, Redux

2012-01-01T10:46:00.000-08:00

Colleague Sharon Megdal who is the Director of the Arizona Water Resources Research Center sent me this write-up from the intranet newsletter of the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality regarding their work (and hers) on greywater reuse in Jordan. The Rainbow Water Coalition has previously profiled greywater in Jordan here, here, and here. Because the newsletter falls within the ADEQ intranet, it is not possible to link to it, so apologies in advance for the quality of the posting (click to enlarge).

Arizona is one of the states adopting greywater reuse in their water resources planning portfolio through regulations and sensible Best Management Practices. The Rainbow Water Coalition is hopeful that their visit and Arizona's experience with strange water practices like Fountain Hills located near Phoenix provided some inspiration to rethinking the planned Star Trek theme park near Aqaba.

Their photograph essay (click to enlarge) shows the group visiting to the ancient city of Jerash located north of Amman. I visited this place during my recent trip and like most cool places, photographs don't do it justice. One of the interesting sites within Jerash is the column manufacturing *center* which from my inspection was powered by a water wheel. Apparently the climate was a little different than today.

Put Jerash on your list of places to visit, in fact, add the country of Jordan. It is truly a place of beauty and not affected by the extreme political changes associated with the Arab Spring.

* * *

Jordan has a strange, haunting beauty and a sense of timelessness. Dotted with the ruins of empires once great, it is the last resort of yesterday in the world of tomorrow. I love every inch of it.

~ King Hussein I

Oregon Water Entrepreneurs In Top 12 for 2012

2011-12-30T14:51:00.000-08:00

ZDNet Blogger Heather Clancy posted this list of start-up or early stage companies that she will be watching as all are focused on technologies for treating wasterwater. Oregon companies took two slots.

Puralytics is one that the Rainbow Water Coalition has posted on before, here, here, and here. I met the principal Mark Owen of the firm at BEST-FEST in Portland this past fall, where in addition to showcasing their great greywater treatment products, they also introduced the SolarBag 3L Reusable Sunlight Activated Water Purifier. This has a real future in many disadvantaged countries as well as recreational camping. I hope they sell many - it is a cool idea.

Vorsana is a new name to me. They apparently use radial counterflow solutions to deal with methane, mercury and cyanide in wastewater among many other applications. This process looks like a winner given the lack of membranes.

* * *

Well yes, Oregon IS for dreamers

Unity in Diversity & Greywater Guidance

2011-12-23T16:04:00.000-08:00

This open source article titled "Development of guidance for sustainabile irrigation use of greywater in gardens and small-scale agriculture in South Africa" is remarkable for many reasons, but most importantly, for the recognition of kitchensink wastewater in the country's water reuse portfolio. Yes, they recognize there are some apparent *hazards* and that the residual oils may be an issue, but the treatment technology is simple - a mulch filter. Sound familiar? Sure, the Greywater Guru Art Ludwig at Oasis Design also discusses the importance of mulch filters, too. Check out this handy decision making chart that the authors developed, along with this great risk management table; elsewhere in the article is a guide on volumetric application.

From the study, the following recommendations are necessary to facilitate greywater use in South Africa:

Enshrining greywater use as a permitted water use in relevant legislation at national level
Capacity building at provincial and municipal level
Educating potential users at settlement or household level, and involvement of potential users in planning greywater use projects at municipal level
Integration of greywater-use provisions in new developments at municipal level
Municipal and provincial authorities developing an enabling environment in low-income settlements through:

Building a sense of community
Improving communication between authorities and settlement representatives
Providing infrastructure for water, sanitation, wastewater and solid waste
Providing infrastructure and guidance for greywater use in exchange for some form of incentive scheme.

Some valuable lessons here, especially as Oregon gets their greywater permit machine running in 2012.

Oregon Sustainability Center Drowning?

2011-12-18T11:14:00.000-08:00

The Oregon Sustainability Center has been the subject of several postings given the goal of "Net-Zero" water and greywater reuse planned at the proposed building (how many postings? just use the handy search engine below). But reality has been settling in over the past six months in the regional newspaper The Oregonian as to how "sustainable" the project really is given the economy and the now $62 million price tag for the "living building". This article hammers home the point that being "green" is not cheap and that the project is at risk of drowning under the construction costs and challenges associated with leasing space - "construction costs at $434 a square foot, would cost almost 50 percent more than downtown Portland's most expensive new high-rise". And the article goes on to say that the project being "sustainable" has political baggage - "The inclusion of the word 'sustainability' is hurting it politically."

What was once considered a unique, first of its kind, building in North America is now playing fourth fiddle to other living building projects - "The center won't be the biggest or even the first of its kind -- Vancouver, B.C., has one; Seattle broke ground on one in August; and Minneapolis plans a larger project".

I just finished teaching a class on Sustainability to about 300 students during fall term. We discussed living buildings, including the Oregon Sustainability Center and the Bullitt Center in Seattle, and even had living building experts come speak including Garrett Moon and his brother Dustin (in abstentia due to being imprisoned in architecture graduate school). I took a couple of polls of the class during Living Building week, and they had mixed feelings about the Oregon Sustainability Center as shown in this graph. Most of the students thought the building project needed more planning, and a surprising number thought private industry should build it.

But what about how politically-charged the word "sustainability" is? Yes, I took a poll on this topic, too. A surprising number of students thought the concept sustainability is not partisan. Where this project will end up is anyone's guess given the political and economic situation in Oregon.

* * *

The project was "way out of reach financially"...

"It's like the difference between a Prius and a Tesla,"..

(comparing the $25,000 hybrid and the $110,000 electric roadster)...

"The Oregon Sustainability Center is the Tesla".

~Friends of the Columbia Gorge Executive Director Kevin Gorman

Homage to Greywater

2011-12-16T06:49:00.000-08:00

Philadelphia is the home of some great art. The museum, despite the overt homage to the Rocky movie, is truly a gem, with one of the most diverse collections from the artists of Impressionism in the nation.

But Philadelphia also hosts one of the most impressive collections of greywater art that I have ever observed, and the artistic "style" is often copied. Of course you think I am being facetious. But consider the artwork that I observed at the Fairmount Water Works titled "Hidden River". It does not look like much, but it is a series of bathroom sinks connected together. Breathtakingly beautiful, with a hidden message that still escapes me.

But I have seen this "form" before. Back in Oregon, home of the largest collection of brewpubs in one city, one of the more famous brewers are the McMenamin Brothers and their far reaching (now outside of Oregon) funky breweries, restaurants, and hotels, that pay homage to the local venue by renovating them, under the careful eye of staff historians. One such watering hole is McMenamins on Monroe, which is not located in a historic building, but rather a strip mall strategically located across the street from the Oregon State University campus in Corvallis.

The first thing one observes as they enter the sacred ground of McMenamins is their striking version of "Hidden River" as shown here. Their interpretation of the famous work located at Fairmount connects the past with the present with their wide selection of sinks and gauges. The way the light touches upon the copper piping during happy hour is very moving to say the least. Who says greywater is not beautiful?

* * *

"imitation is the sincerest form of flattery"

~English cleric, writer and collector, Charles Caleb Colton

Return to the Womb Tour

2011-12-13T13:00:00.000-08:00

Following a visit to the original Philadelphia a couple of weeks ago (Amman, Jordan), I am visiting Philadelphia, PA to check out the birthplace of the modern US water industry - the Fairmount Water Works. Fairmount boasts the first municipal water works in the US. This is a beautiful place to visit on the shore of the Schuylkill River at the foot of the hill where the Philadelphia Art Museum is now located (built on the former water storage reservoirs for Philadelphia).

The interpretive center for the water works is simply excellent. It chronicles the history of the water system which was built to deal with Yellow Fever. The water works were constructed to be more than just the water treatment plant on the outskirts of town like most US water treatment plants. No, this place was literally a destination resort. Consider the commemorative plate collection. When was the last time you saw your water/wastewater treatment plant embellishing a plate hung on a wall? Would make a nice companion for those commemorative presidential plates.

Philadelphia is proud of their water legacy. They even tackle the issue of tap water versus bottled water with aplomb. While the Fairmount water works are no longer in use, the interpretative center does a great job of linking watershed protection and their current drinking water supply. They describe floods on the Schuylkill river dating back to the late 1700s that are linked to deforestation. Nothing really changes with land use and drinking water through time that is for certain.

There are so many things to see and do at the interpretative center, including some excellent hiking trails, again linked to the concept of clean water as a destination resort as opposed to an industrial facility. But what is the linkage to greywater you ask? Yes, greywater is even addressed, but one has to visit the WC to see the goods.

Put this place on your *must see* when you visit the City of Brotherly Love. It is much better than the Rocky statue or LOVE park.

* * *

The streets are safe in Philadelphia,

it's only the people who make them unsafe.

~Former Mayor Frank Rizzo

New Top Greywater University

2011-12-10T09:04:00.001-08:00

Applalachian State University. According to this press release, former hair stylist now appropriate technology major Bobbie Jo Swinson won an EPA P3 (People, Prosperity and the Planet) grant to study the effectiveness of a small constructed wetland to treat water from the shampoo bowls in the local Haircut 101 salon and analyze the chemicals and amount of water entering the waste stream. They will then run the salon’s gray water through a living system modified from a system originally constructed as part of the Appalachian State University’s biofuels project at State Farm Road in Boone, North Carolina. Another reason to enroll in the top 100 best college buy school.

* * *

Esse quam videri (To be, rather than to seem)

~North Carolina State Motto

Not the Kitchensink Again, Redux

2011-12-03T08:15:00.001-08:00

A quick examination of the Geography of Greywater map (scroll to bottom) reveals the heated controversy over the integration of the kitchensink wastewater into the greywater portfolio across the US (some "oldies but goodies" postings here and here, just to get started). Heck, even states that legally defined the kitchensink water in the greywater portfolio have subsequently removed it from the greywater portfolio in their rules and regulations to "protect the public" (Oregon). The rationale is that this is dangerous stuff we are creating in our homes (yes, we ultimately control what goes into our kitchensink, so the fear is FONEY). Much of the fear is based on a very limited dataset of what is in the kitchensink wastwater. But new research reveals that there may be other sources of greywater that were considered "safe" but now may be less safe.

Take for example, this open source article titled Characterization of greywater by appliance - Pattern of discharge along the day by Portuguese water scholars Cristina Matosa, Ana Sampaiob, António Sampaio Duartec, and Isabel Bentesa. Here are some of their "pollutographs" of greywater quality per domestic device. The first one shown here is the number of discharges per person through the day - this is the first time I have seen the water use data broken down by hour in the day. No surprises - peak discharges coincide with when we eat and it appears that I am not alone with the midnight trip to the WC.

But note importance of the kitchensink discharge and the number of discharges each day by appliance in the next diagram.

And then let's examine the coliform bacteria counts in this table since this has traditionally been the metric used to display the danger of reusing kitchensink wastewater. Hmmm, the threatening fecal coliform counts are larger in the bath and dishwasher water than the kitchensink wastewater.

The authors' conclusions? The proposed approach can be used to derive dry weather flow inputs to water quality. It also provides a mean to assess the impact of changes in household water consumption.

* * *

In developing the multiple hypotheses, the effort is to bring up into view every rational exploration of the phenomenon in hand and to develop every tenable hypothesis relative to its nature, cause or origin, and to give to all of these as impartially as possible a working form and a due place in the investigation. The investigator thus becomes the parent of a family of hypotheses; and by his parental relations to all is morally forbidden to fasten his affections unduly upon anyone. In the very nature of the case, the chief danger that springs from affection is counteracted.

~ Grandfather of modern hydrogeology,

Thomas Chrowder Chamberlin

DOD Z6s OSU

2011-11-27T06:23:00.001-08:00

Teaching two classes at Oregon State University, along with the quick trip to Amman, Jordan, placed a serious crimp in my interest in greywater. The fall term is winding down and there is the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel coming within sight, signaling a more serious return to the blogosphere.

But first, a shout-out to the Department of Defense, specifically Camp Rilea near Seaside, Oregon, for permitting LT Dan Oldham to visit my class titled Sustainability for the Common Good with about 300 eager students (at least the students who are not sitting in the back of the room playing video games). LT Dan - yes, he gets the connection to the movie Forrest Gump and acknowledged such to the class - is an Environmental Scientist at Camp Rilea who keeps the installation in compliance with many different environmental regulations that are unique to DOD installations (residual lead at places where bullets are used) to not so unique to DOD installations (drinking water and wastewater analyses). LT Dan designed and managed construction of an environmental laboratory for his work which is the subject of this posting.

As previously discussed here, Camp Rilea is one of the few DOD installations aggressively pursuing a Net Zero footprint for water, energy, and waste. Recalling the Six "Z"s of sustainable living here, LT Dan "Z6ed" the students to the Net Zero for water program and the awards Camp Rilea has earned in this area. Camp Rilea serves as a training ground for police, scouts, cheerleaders, football players, etc. - it is a "public" base. Anyone can go there to camp, stay in a barrack, or eat at Kilroys (killer pastrami and rye sandwiches, good selection of beverages, too).

What did the students think? LT Oldham’s presentation made quite an impact on the students. I rarely see the students interacting with the speakers after their presenations, yet many students did so. Likewise, I never receive email correspondence from the students regarding the quality of the guest speaker presentations, yet I received a few, all of which underscored how well he presented the Net Zero program. Here is a poll that I took after LT Dan's lecture. The students think the DOD can do more to showcase their efforts in sustainability.

* * *

Education is the cheap defense of nations.

~ Irish Statesman Edmund Burke

Greywater in the Holy Land

2011-11-21T18:04:00.001-08:00

I am teaching a course on water conflict resolution for UNESCO in Amman, Jordan this week and so went shopping for greywater news in the Holy Land. This article in the Palestine News Network describes an ecopark, the Auja Environmental Center (AEC), that is one of three ecoparks established by Friends of the Earth Middle East (FOEME) across Palestine, Jordan and Israel. In contrast to the Oregon approach to keeping greywater out of the public's eye and touch, *There is a permaculture garden, grey water recycling facility, and a children’s playground on site, along with a number of educational installations and stations*. I sure hope there is no kitchensink wastewater in the vicinity of the children's playground.

I won't have much time to look around the area, but I have observed that Amman is a growing city. Already at over 6 million residents, the construction boom is underway. Many American expats at the hotel I am staying at, and overhearing some of their conversations in the restaurants, it sounds like they have been here for quite awhile. Construction towers, beautiful new bridges, and I just read, a new thermal electricity powerplant that will be fueled using Jordan's oil shale deposits, rated at the third largest in the world.

Some of the hydrologists I am teaching remarked that climate change has been good to Jordan so far - the rains have come and are frequent. It rained much of yesterday and reminded me of the rainy season in Oregon that is currently underway.

A beautiful city, with very friendly people, and soon, a new huge airport ready for your visit in 2012.

* * *

We used to think that energy and water would be the critical issues for the next century. Now we think water will be the critical issue.

~Mostafa Tolba of Egypt,
former head of the United Nations Environment Program

Greywater Occupies Wall Street

2011-11-04T16:04:00.000-07:00

Burning Platform

2011-10-30T09:52:00.000-07:00

From the entertaining scribble site - Scrivle

What will it take to get folks to get beyond the *yuk or yuck* factor to reconsider recycling their greywater? According to this esteemed panel of water use experts in the UK as discussed in this article in Water Portal News Magazine it will be a *burning platform*. No, not the blog, or famous memo by Nokia's CEO, or the platform used at the Burning Man festival, but rather a drought or a water security challenge.

The UK is experiencing the same challenge that other areas that have *rain* - an almost negligible amount of water reuse. The classic case of *hypnosis of abundance*. But this problem of public acceptance of greywater is not new to greywater governance.

One of the more interesting sections of the article follows:
*Public health concerns of home owners and businesses often prove to be barriers to the take-up of new recycling technology. Dr Ben Courtis of GE Water said that while he could supply equipment to companies which could enable them to use ‘grey’ water in their processes and reduce their use of expensive drinking quality water by 50 per cent or more, manufacturers and buyers believe their brand image would be compromised if they were seen to be using less than top-quality water.*

As I continue to teach a course in Sustainability to about 300 students during the fall term, the time dedicated to the Rainbow Water Coalition has been reduced to about quarter time. But at the same time, it permits me to reflect on what are some of the shortcomings of the concept of *Sustainability* and one that stands out more and more is *sacrifice* - one needs to not only reduce, reuse, recycle, and rethink, but also *relax* their personal standards by sacrificing their preconceived notions of what is *acceptable* - particularly when it comes to things like the *yuk or yuck* factor associated with water reuse.

* * *

Rumor: Weapons of mass hypnosis are found in the USA.

~ Free Speech Organization Loesje

Grande Dame of Greywater Speaks

2011-10-17T20:43:00.000-07:00

Laura Allen, founder of the famous Greywater Action group, speaks. Listen.

OSU Gets Mooned

2011-10-13T07:25:00.000-07:00

Living Building Challenge designer and constructor Garrett Moon visited my class in Sustainability at Oregon State University on Oct. 13 to present on the house his brother Dustin and him are building in Portland. Garrett captivated the audience of nearly 300 students with his boots on the ground presentation on how "easy" it is to be "green" (not!). Dustin could not make it because no good deed should go unpunished - Dustin is in his first term of architecture graduate school at UC Berkeley.

While in Corvallis, Oregon I interviewed Garrett on Oregon's new rules and regulations for greywater reuse. We are on the same page - it is great that it is finally "legal" to reuse greywater, but it regressive to have the costly permit system. I think Oregon's DEQ graywater program will eventually toss the permit fee as they can't justify what the water customer will receive in the way of benefits. The Oregon Water Thorn had it right when he indicated it was just a ruse for generating revenue.

I have been experimenting with a polling software system given the large size of the class and this snapshot gives an overview of what the class thought they could do to help out with Garrett's project.

Thanks Garrett, for sharing your expertise in living buildings with the next generation of sustainable living experts. I look forward to the grand opening of your living home in the coming year. And thanks Dustin for all that you have done, too. Graduate school gets easier after the first term, and yes, you will learn to sleep again.

* * *

Let me tell you the secret that has led me to my goal.

My strength lies solely in my tenacity.
~ Louis Pasteur

Another Great Greywater Thesis

2011-10-11T13:23:00.000-07:00

A great thesis on greywater reuse from Simon Fraser University...

UNDERSTANDING THE BLOCKAGES: STAKEHOLDER PERCEPTIONS OF GREYWATER REUSE IN METRO VANCOUVER
by Meaghan Jean Henness

ABSTRACT

Greywater reuse – using water from sinks, showers and laundry to flush toilets and irrigate landscapes - is often cited as a management technique with potential to increase the efficiency of urban water use. Yet, in spite of government interest and opportunities for water conservation and environmental protection, only approximately 3% of British Columbia’s total wastewater is being recycled. Understanding the barriers to greywater reuse would aid resource managers in designing better policies and facilitating appropriate implementation. In the present study, Q methodology is used to explore key stakeholder perspectives concerning the presence and relative importance of possible barriers to greywater reuse in Metro Vancouver. Three distinct perspectives (Institutional Reformers, Centralized Managers and Technical Pragmatists) are identified and illustrated. Points of consensus and conflict among the three perspectives are illuminated and used to discern options for approaching the identified barriers.

A great companion with this previously-posted thesis.

Celebrating 50 Years of Water Research

2011-10-08T09:12:00.000-07:00

This is where the Rainbow Water Coalition started, inspired by Aquadoc.

Saving Space & Greywater, Too

2011-10-07T04:58:00.000-07:00

Two weeks into the fall term and I am busier than a one-legged person in a hiney-kicking contest with over 300 students studying Sustainability in all its various forms along with the tense, but always friendly, geopolitical relations between the US and Canada. Postings will be few and far between for the next couple of months.

But the Rainbow Water Coalition would be remiss in not acknowledging this Greywater Gadget. Introducing the Ecocubo, a student-designed space saving sink that won an award at the prestigious 2011 Valencia Design Week. Thanks to online magazine, Treehugger, for interpreting the Spanish webpages to publish this article on the gadget. Treehugger gave it a good review, and suggested that it might also work for the kitchen sink (but it will not be welcomed in Oregon for that use).

* * *

Sooner or later we've got to tie the saving of the natural world to our own public welfare.
~ Wild Kingdom Naturalist Jim Fowler

Greywater Mythbusting

2011-09-29T03:35:00.000-07:00

One of the papers at the 12th International Conference on Urban Drainage, Porto Alegre, Brazil, 11-16 September 2011 dispelled some myths about the impacts of greywater reuse on sewer systems. The myths typically focus on (1) pirating of wastewater for greywater reuse will cause blockage of sewers due to the reduced volume/velocity of wastewater in pipelines, and (2) pirated flows will change the wastewater quality to the point that the wastewater treatment plants cannot efficiently treat the wastewater.

Effects of on-site greywater reuse on municipal sewer systems
by R. Penn, M. Schütze and E. Friedler

Abstract

On-site greywater reuse (GWR), in the urban sector, reduces urban demand of fresh water resources. In the last years research on GWR has generally overlooked the effects that GWR may have on municipal sewer systems. This paper discusses and quantifies these effects. The effects of GWR, positive and negative, were studied by modeling a representative urban sewer system. Five GWR scenarios were modeled and analysed using the SIMBA simulation system. The results show that as expected as GWR increases, the flow, velocity and proportional depth decrease. Nevertheless, the reduction is not evenly distributed but mainly occurs during the morning and evening peaks. Further, it is indicated that as a result of the GWR, blockages rate of sewers is not expected to increase. The results support the possibility to construct new sewer systems with smaller pipe diameters. The analysis shows that as the penetration of GWR system increases, concentrations of pollutants increase too, but at a rate lower than proportional reduction of sewage flow.

Where to go from here?

More analyses should be performed also on other sewer networks. As dual-flush toilets are increasingly being used, their effect will be topic of a subsequent paper. Furthermore, analyses of the effects of greywater reuse measures on wastewater treatment efficiency would merit further research.

Read the paper here.

* * *

It is difficult to separate, at times, the myth from the truth.

~ American Artist Bob Kane

Purplewater Yields More "Green" Problems

2011-09-27T08:45:00.000-07:00

School has started again in Oregon, and it appears that the global economy has been good to the academies with nearly all of the institutions under the Oregon Universities System reporting record enrollments!

Seriously, back to business. I am teaching a class titled Sustainability for the Common Good with 300 friends enrolled. The Rainbow Water Coalition is providing an abundance of material to discuss, and one item I have been saving for awhile given the upcoming discussions on carbon footprints in the class is the issue of greenhouse gas emissions and wastewater treatment.

No, not what you might think. Rather, this article on new research provides more fodder for increased water reuse and integrating greywater into that equation. Amy Townsend-Small, Diane E. Pataki, Linda Y. Tseng, Cheng-Yao Tsai, Diego Rosso (2011) examined Nitrous Oxide Emissions from Wastewater Treatment and Water Reclamation Plants in Southern California in the Journal of Environment Quality (40 (5): 1542 DOI: 10.2134/jeq2011.0059) and found the following:

"Wastewater reuse for irrigation, otherwise known as 'showers to flowers', potentially reduces overall freshwater consumption in southern California, which is threatened by dwindling supply and a growing population," Townsend-Small said.

However, she and her co-authors found that the wastewater recycling plant emitted about three times more nitrous oxide than the traditional treatment, when all factors are included. The researchers' data indicate that dense populations of nitrifying and denitrifying bacteria in the wastewater recycling plant were the cause of these high nitrous oxide emissions. They also did preliminary calculations on the impact of wastewater recycling plants on nitrous oxide emissions in southern California.

"Because the Los Angeles area is so heavily urbanized, our calculations indicate that nitrous oxide emissions from wastewater treatment and recycling are several orders of magnitude larger than agricultural nitrous oxide emissions in the region," Townsend-Small said.

Despite the production of nitrous oxide, the authors conclude that -- taken in context -- wastewater recycling is still a good idea.

But California-based greywater experts Oasis Design, Greywater Corps and Greywater Action already knew this. Score another one less greenhouse gas for simply being careful with greywater and reusing at the point of use.

Omani Low-Cost Methods to Treat Greywater

2011-09-21T02:42:00.000-07:00

The Middle East Institute has several viewpoints on water and the environment that are very well done. One of the series of viewpoints they produce addresses many great research papers, but the one that caught my eye was the low cost treatment of greywater reuse in Oman.

Why? *Studies have shown that 80% of water used in Omani households is greywater*.

Commercially available greywater systems (aka *greywater gadgets*) are too expensive for individual households and small mosques. Therefore, a low-cost low-maintenance treatment system was designed, constructed, and operated at a mosque.

The treatment system shown here looks very similar to the biosand filters that David Manz developed with the exception of the activated carbon portion in the upper part of the treatment system.

The financial analysis showed that the internal rate of return (IRR) for the locally manufactured (Al Hail mosque sys- tem) and the commercial systems (SQU mosque) for the mosques were 14.9% and 19.06%, respectively. This shows that such systems will be cost effective. IRR for the commercial system at a private house indicated that such systems will not be cost effective. Costs of the systems and the amount of greywater treated were the main factors affecting the outcome of the financial analysis.

So if one is searching for a low cost, off-the-grid, greywater treatment system, this looks like a winner. However, it is not certain if this system will meet the stringent treatment standards for oxidizing the greywater required under Oregon's rules.

* * *

Presidential leadership needn't always cost money. Look for low- and no-cost options. They can be surprisingly effective.
~ Former US Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld

"Eureka...I have found it!"

2011-09-18T10:12:00.000-07:00

Get out of the way of greywater, Golden State!

Or so goes a new bill that California Governor Jerry Brown is getting ready to sign. According to this article and video report by Channel 10 News in San Diego, *....This bill is going to help essentially remove the potential for any municipality to create barriers...*

And the article introduces a new player in the California water reuse world, H2O-ME.

* * *

We need permission for this? Give me a break! Talk about a nanny state! ~ leslie, commenter on news article

Army Goes Beyond Khaki Green

2011-09-17T16:41:00.000-07:00

Recalling this posting about the Department of Defense efforts to go beyond khaki green with respect to *sustainability*, I visited Camp Rilea as part of guiding a new cohort of OSU geography graduate students across Oregon. No, LTC Rees was not there because he is off to training, but we were greeted by Beaver alum LT Oldham, a soldier-chemist, who graciously provided a great tour of the state-owned facility, including his water quality laboratory (not off the shelf, but rather put together using his many years working in a commercial laboratory), tallest rappelling tower in the military (something over 80 feet tall as I recall), and their state-of-the-art water treatment plant shown here. LT Oldham keeps Camp Rilea, as well as other military installations, within permitted contaminant concentrations for lead and other things military with his OSU degree in chemistry and biology and self-designed laboratory.

We were told that Camp Rilea plans on building a wind farm soon since the winds are pretty good here, with the highest wind velocity recorded in Oregon at 152 miles per hour. They have one small turbine in operation now.

Camp Rilea is open to the public which I was not aware of. So stop by and check this great resource out. And have a burger and cold one at Kilroy's, the camp pub.

* * *

War is God's way of teaching Americans geography.

~ American editorialist, journalist, short story writer, fabulist and satirist Ambrose Bierce

Greywater and Colorful Colorado

2011-09-11T09:07:00.000-07:00

The Rainbow Water Coalition finds it interesting to learn of the various interests promoting greywater reuse. In Oregon, the diligent efforts of ReCode and the *greywater gangsters* got things started, with the academies more or less taking a hands-off approach because it was pretty clear that science was not going to be a big part of the discussions about the *rules*.

But the Rocky Mountain Way appears different. Take for example this article in The Durango Herald where two Colorado State University (CSU) professors are taking the lead on getting the state legislature to consider changing the way Colorado looks at greywater.

CSU's Professor Larry Roesner is no newcomer to the greywater arena. His research group is very active in the Water Environment Research Foundation portfolio of research grants.

Sonnenberg’s [Rep. Jerry Sonnenberg, R-Sterling] hesitation stems from one of the unresolved questions about gray water. His largely agricultural district lies downhill from Denver, and if many people in the metro area start reusing their water instead of literally flushing it down the drain, it could lead to less water in the rivers downstream.

State Engineer Dick Wolfe said Colorado regulates gray water differently depending on a person’s water rights and whether the water comes from a well or a city utility.

This last statement almost seems to imply that groundwater has a different value than other water as outlined in this posting about Texas and how they *value* groundwater versus surface water.

Will Colorful Colorado's Governor Hickenlooper also adopt the *Perry Approach* to water scarcity?

* * *

*Nil Sine Numine* ~ The Colorado state motto translated as "Nothing Without the Deity".

Dueling Waters in Delhi

2011-09-10T14:49:00.000-07:00

How much water does Delhi have and how much does it use? According to this article in The Hindustan Times, Delhi is in serious trouble with supply, with *...average demand of potable water is approximately 1,100million gallons per day as against the availability of around 845 million gallons per day (MGD) from all sources*.

The proposed solution? Marry the *unspoken* and *spoken* water together by recycling 45MGD and distribute via separate lines to businesses and residences.

*The use of grey water [what they refer to as treated wastewater] for non-drinking purposes will be established by laying dual water pipelines in new urban extension areas," the government said added it was focusing on reforming the water sector*.

When I lived in the State of Utah, I heard that one or two of the water systems in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area were proposing the dual line approach as one means of dealing with demand management in the second driest state in the US, but also heard many of the developers were pushing back on this approach based on costs associated with installing two lines. California communities apparently see value in speaking about unspeakable water as outlined here in Santa Rosa.

* * *

There is a sufficiency in the world for man's need but not for man's greed. ~ Political and Ideological leader of India Mohandas K. Gandhi

Sustainable Village in Alaska

2011-09-03T15:16:00.000-07:00

The cavalcade of campuses going *green* just keeps on marching, but the new one at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks is an interesting one. According to this article in the Fairbanks Daily News, ...the $1 million project, dubbed the Sustainable Village, is being designed with an eye toward hyper-efficiency, low operating costs and experimentation. Planners are hopeful the development, a collaboration between UAF and the Cold Climate Housing Research Center, could be a small step toward transforming housing on campus.

Hey, that is great news, but I was under the impression from media interviews with Former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin that Alaska was not all that interested in the green living given their dependence on fossil fuels to fuel the state government.

But planners still aren’t exactly sure what will be built at the site. CCHRC and UAF officials will work together throughout the winter on design plans for the structures, working to incorporate renewable energy sources like solar, wind and biomass with innovative approaches toward gray-water recycling and waste management. Construction on the project is expected to begin next April.

Warning to UAF planners - make certain you know what you want to build at the site, and more importantly, that the stuff to build it has been invented or you might find your project grounded just like the Oregon Sustainability Center when it was discovered that some of the proposed building materials did not yet exist.

* * *

A changing environment will affect Alaska more than any other state, because of our location. I'm not one though who would attribute it to being man-made. ~ Former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin

Australian Scummed by Greywater?

2011-08-30T07:45:00.000-07:00

Former doctor, clever Australian, and megadealmaker, Geoffrey Edelsten, apparently had about $300,000 made off by his business partner who was developing the greywater device - Enviro Water Boy - according to this article in Australian news The Age.

Watch the Enviro Water Boy, the Greywater Gadget of the Week, in action here.

And here is a review of the Enviro Water Boy by the LA Times where they state *And it doesn't cost that much: $299 for the 8-gallon version, $359 for 16 gallons, $399 for 24 gallons, and that includes shipping from Australia*.

I wonder if JustWaterSaversUSA, Inc. will eventually stock Enviro Water Boy. If they offer them in the color assortment of the Hughies, I would order an Aqua-colored version, but they probably will be illegal in Oregon since they *spray the grey*. Would probably sell well in the greywater *spray* friendly states of Wyoming and Oklahoma.

* * *

A Man of Business is one who becomes possessed of other people's money, without bringing himself under the power of the law. ~ Australian historian Marcus Clarke

Only Six More Months to Go...

2011-08-29T12:53:00.000-07:00

Well, Oregon is almost at the end of the path to greywater reuse *freedom*. After one year of citizen advisory board deliberations, followed by another year of DEQ rulemaking by staff and public review, this article in The Oregonian announced that the Oregon Environmental Quality Council approved the rules and regulations. Only a short six months left to go - DEQ needs to get the permit machine up and running to start collecting the permit fees in March, 2012!

The regulations require homeowners, schools, businesses, apartment complexes and others to apply for permits costing at least $50 a year. That's tougher than California, which decided in 2009 not to require permits for the simplest graywater systems.

(NOTE REGARDING ARTICLE ACCURACY: DEQ's website indicates there is a $50 permit application fee, and a $40 annual fee which if the system owner submits an annual report to DEQ, the $40 annual fee will be waived most years, but this is apparently limited to single family houses and duplexes such as that developed by the Moon brothers. If you want to save water at your business, or perhaps have a greywater reuse demonstration project at your local school, food COOP, or Camp Rilea, for example, apparently your new-permit application fee is $584 ($534 new-application fee and the $50 annual fee).

But not all is quiet on the greywater front.

Some global greywater experts have contacted me and indicate that while the Oregon rules are not unreasonable, they will only promote illegal systems.

And what do some Oregonians have to say about the news? The comments following the announcement in The Oregonian are a little disconcerting.

Some nanny state, unless the state, the man, gives out rules and permits, it can't be sanctioned or have any possibility to work. Badges, don't need no stinking badges....

Oregon is fee crazy any way to hold up the citezens for another buck to feed larger government.People keep voting in these progressives and this is the result.Fifty dollars a year is ridiculous.Reminds me when the progressives came up with the ground water fees on top of the sewer fees.Remarkable . . .
Your local progressives are not for citezens feed into a ideoligy of huge government.

Now thats funny. In the 80's, the city required all rain downspouts to be connected to the storm sewers, and charged what? Yes, a big fee for each downspout. Then years later, they said please disconnect those down spouts. But the did not return your money for the fees or the cost for the piping.
I can tell you I heve remodeled many homes that had kitchen sinks, dishwashers, and tub/showers draining into 55 gallon drums full of holes in gravel buried beside the house. GRAY WATER! They worked just fine. But that was illegal, so everyone had to correct it. Yes, more fees and costs for you the consumer. Now they want you to do what? Yes , deflect gray water, but there is a catch. FEES.
A good idea with a bad city taking your money again, to pay the wages of those who now have nothing to do in a down construction cycle.
Don't worry. In ten years they will charge you to remome them. They will still need money!

How will a $50 annual fee "encourage" gray water use? It will never pay for itself vs. wasting the water. I understand a one-time inspection, but annual fees? That is absolutely ridiculous. I am not an anti-government person in the slightest, but this makes zero sense.

FIFTY years ago my mother dumped all her clothes wash water onto our lawn every week ... to keep it thick and green!

The fees are to "make-up" for the revenue lost from sewers. Why did I have to connect to the sewer, and disconnect from a perfectly good cess pool. What a racket!

Wrong, they will continue the sewer charge anyway so grey water users will pay both charges.

Use bleach when you wash and you can just kiss your plants and your soil goodbye. Greywater is okay as long as people use environmentally friendly products for their soaps, etc...I wouldn't use sewer water on anything until treated and then it is really high in chlorine.

The re-use of grey water is kinda of a no brain er. Oregon's typical fashion of getting in our pockets is where this idea goes askew. "permits costing at least $50 a year". Are they really going to charge yearly for a one time installation permit? Since Portland sewer charges us based on our water usage, are they going to reduce our sewer bill to reflect the reduced water flow into the sewer system? They should if their actually serious about having people move in this direction. We all know though that governments desire for green money is greater than their desire for a green environment.

Will the new *hammer* help with Oregon's Integrated Water Resources Strategy? Hard to say since *gray water* is not mentioned anywhere in the summary of ideas for water management. Recycled water or *water re-use* is briefly mentioned, where *As of 2009, Oregon had permitted more than 120 water re‐use projects* Let's hope the $40-$50 per year fee does not hammer the already meager water re-use statistics.

* * *

Government proposes, bureaucracy disposes. And the bureaucracy must dispose of government proposals by dumping them on us.

~ American Comedian P.J. O' Rourke

The Value of Grey Groundwater

2011-08-27T10:27:00.000-07:00

A few years back, Oregon State University hosted a weekly seminar series focusing on Water Economics. OSU invited experts from across the globe, and included heavy weights such as the legendary Chuck Howe (video), Gary Libecap, Clay Landry, Ron Griffin, among many others. (No, Aguanomics was not in the crowd as he was still *growing up* getting his PhD at UC Davis).

One of the common themes that I observed through my biased lens of groundwater hydrology was how groundwater and surface water were *lumped* together when it came to valuing water. I often asked the question of how groundwater could not be more valuable than surface water since it was (1) typically available at the point of use, thus requiring limited infrastructure, and more importantly, (2) typically did not require extensive and expensive treatment. In other words, groundwater usually does not need treatment prior to distribution as drinking water, unless of course, it is either under the direct influence of surface water or has elevated concentrations of an analyte like arsenic, fluoride, or some legacy contaminant leftover from the cold war (list too long to mention, but there are water systems treating for some of these goodies like the solvent TCE or perchlorate). I never did get an answer to my question. Groundwater was valued simply as *water*.

Something is happening in Texas that water economists should take a look at (and it does not have anything to do with Governor Rick Perry and prayer). Huntsville, Texas is looking to sell their wastewater that is derived from groundwater as outlined in this article in The Huntsville Item.

Public Utilities Director Carol Reed said the city could make as much as $100,000 per year for the sale of the effluent, money that would then go back into the city’s wastewater fund. “Whether or not this business arrangement works out, if this is approved, we would have the right to do whatever with our effluent,” Reed said. “The major source of the water coming from the homes to our two treatment plants is groundwater. When we pump that groundwater, we’re not required to return that to a river basin. That plays a big role in this. We’re asking the state of Texas for a water rights permit that allows us to own the rights to our own water that we discharge from our wastewater plants.”

So at least in Texas, groundwater does not need to be discharged within the surface water basin it is pumped from. While the Rainbow Water Coalition is not an expert in such important matters as water economics, it sounds like there is some added value to the ultimate *source* of greywater, especially if it is derived from groundwater.

* * *

Did you ever think that making a speech on economics is a lot like pissing down your leg? It seems hot to you, but it never does to anyone else. ~ Lyndon B. Johnson, Former Texas Senator and 36th President of the United States

Jarheads Gung Ho over Greywater

2011-08-21T09:55:00.000-07:00

Now the Marine Corps is going *green*. No, not the Green Ops that one typically connects to the Marine Corps when they are going after *bad people*.

According to this press release, the Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego received $2.5 million by Headquarters Marine Corps as part of the 2012 Energy Investment Program.

The plans are big and cover many different facets of going green, but the connection to greywater is very impressive: Gray water recovery systems will be installed in buildings 651, 652, 653, 654 and 655. These systems will capture water from the washing machines, filter it, and use it for the next water cycle. According to [Richard Hatcher, energy manager, MCRD] some of the recruit barracks capture gray water from the showers and sinks to flush the urinals and toilets. “The gray water recovery systems are expected to save approximately 1,660,000 gallons of water in each building annually,” said Hatcher.

The RWC finds it interesting that the DOD is so committed in going beyond wearing fatigue green to be *green*. Recall this RWC posting where the Army selected some installations to target various *net zeroes*.

According to Hatcher, the government had mandated a goal to reduce energy use by 30 percent over a ten-year period since 2003.

Why is this?

“Not just MCRD, but the entire Marine Corps – everyone should be energy efficient,” said Hatcher. “Just look at our dependency on foreign oil.”

As stated before by the RWC, that is another way to protect the public.

* * *

The Marines I have seen around the world have the cleanest bodies, the filthiest minds, the highest morale, and the lowest morals of any group of animals I have ever seen. Thank God for the United States Marine Corps!
~ Eleanor Roosevelt, First Lady of the United States, 1945

"Unspoken Water" versus "Spoken Water"

2011-08-20T12:53:00.000-07:00

Spanish water scholar Laia Domènech of the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona has a great paper titled *Rethinking water management: From centralised to decentralised water supply and sanitation models* in the journal Documents d’Anàlisi Geogràfica (vol. 57/2 293-310).

Here is the abstract:

Since the second half of the 19th Century, centralised water and sanitation systems have been expanding all over the world. However, the limitations of this model are becoming increasingly obvious and, in recent times, a renewed interest for decentralised approaches is emerging owing to the capacity of decentralised systems to enhance water security and minimise environmental degradation. The decentralised alternatives explored in this paper include the use of rainwater harvesting and greywater reuse at the household level. This paper analyses the main distinctive features of decentralised water supply and sanitation systems and the main requirements to achieve a successful transition to decentralised water management.

A key table from the paper is reproduced to summarize the distinctive features of decentralized water systems.

A key statement in the paper is *Wastewater has been treated as «unspoken water» for long time but in recent times, a conception shift is taking place and wastewater is rapidly becoming «spoken water»*. The RWC has discussed this previously with the Geographies of Shit paper, where this famous statement was made by the author - *we need to put the word shit into people's mouths* to enhance understandings of global sanitation problems*.

A pdf of the paper about *unspoken water* can be accessed here.

* * *

As long as a word remains unspoken, you are its master; once you utter it, you are its slave. ~ Spanish poet Solomon Ibn Gabirol

Saving Water the Western Way

2011-08-17T16:20:00.000-07:00

Western Oregon University is one of the smaller schools within the Oregon University System wedged in between Portland State University located about 60 miles to the north and Oregon State University located about 20 miles south. And both PSU and OSU make the news for their efforts at being *green*. But don't let the size or *smoke* fool you. WOU is a major player in the academic world of *greymatter means greenmatter*.

Check out this article in Sustainable Business Oregon where WOU is awarded LEED Platinum for a residence hall. Yep, the silent *wolf* slipped by the neighboring biggies to secure *...the first large-scale, new construction residence hall in the nation to receive LEED Platinum, the highest green building designation issued by the U.S. Green Building Council*.

Check out their *facts* - *In its first year of operation, the university projects the building cut its electricity use by 35 percent and produced water savings of nearly 75 percent that of a comparable building of its size*.

The only disappointment is the lack of greywater reuse, but this not a shortcoming of WOU, but rather is related to the Oregon greywater program still under final review of the rules and regulations. I suspect the water reuse world will be hearing more from WOU.

Small quiet school, large green statement.

* * *

Many a small thing has been made large

by the right kind of advertising.

~ American humorist Mark Twain

Perry, Prayer and Greywater

2011-08-14T17:16:00.000-07:00

Well, it's official. Texas Governor Rick Perry has entered the race for the Republican nomination for president. Governor Perry is famous for his use of prayer to change the dire water situation in Texas, even though it is one of the *graywater* states in the US. Aquadoc chronicled the use of prayer to resolve the water woes of Texas and Georgia, but New York Times columnist Tim Egan updates the prayer situation where he opines *In the four months since Rick Perry’s request for divine intervention, his state has taken a dramatic turn for the worse*.

Is heaven listening to Rick Perry? asks Texas journalist Richard Parker in his op-ed piece in the New York Times.

What could be worse? Reusing treated wastewater for drinking water in Texas!

But is there a precedent set somewhere in the world where prayer and water yield greywater for reuse? South African water reuse professionals Water Rhapsody ran a great series on Holy Water and Religion here. A quick summary of this excellent series of postings for Islam reveals the following:

*In Islam ritual purity (called tahara) is required before carrying out religious duties especially salat (worship). There are three kinds of ablutions. Firstly, ghusl, the major ablution, is the washing of the whole body in pure water, after declaring the intention to do so. The second ablution is wudu, the minor ablution, which is performed to remove minor ritual impurity from everyday life. The third type of ablution is performed when no water is available. In this case clean sand may be used.*

But this water is not *wasted* after ablution. Yemen started a program in 2006 to water traditional gardens using Mosque greywater as described here and in a report by the World Bank here. Qatar also is participating in the practice of using Mosque greywater for irrigation, too.

Governor Perry should update his approach to the Texas water situation. Instead of praying for rain, he should pray that Texans integrate greywater and wastewater reuse into their communities. One of his competitors has already done so.

With all the rationale discourse on *no new taxes* will the US water systems and taxpayers stand a prayer of a chance to get working again to dig out of the hole for the cost of new water infrastructure estimated at $334 billion in addition to increased water bills without some sort of *plan* by the Republican contenders?

* * *

So I think we have a few options as we go forward:

1. Reintroducing market mechanisms into water pricing. Governments cannot continue to subsidize water as they have in ways that produce tremendous equilibrium in terms of how water is priced.

2. Alternative forms of water generation. It may seem strange to talk about water generation but that’s essentially what we are talking about when we discuss the future of reuse, desalination, and other kinds of technical technologies that no doubt we are going to be talking about in the years to come.

3. Good old conservation. What more we can do in terms of water conservation. And we very much want to look to many of you for ideas in how we can deal with some of the ideas surrounding water conservation.

~ Former Utah Governor
and contender for the Republican nomination for president
Jon Huntsman, Jr.
at Friends of Alta Water Symposium Alta, Utah August 20, 2008

Public Comments & Oregon Graywater Rules

2011-08-12T13:44:00.000-07:00

http://www.paintdetroit.com/Ghetto%20of%20Eden.html

Check the few public comments out here. Looks like some middle ground reached on the annual permit fees versus annual notification (recall the recently-changed Marin Co. approach discussed here) based on public comments regarding disincentives and *illegal* greywater systems.

Let the group hug begin.

* * *

House Republicans emerged from an emergency meeting about the budget Thursday night sounding unified around a newfangled stop-gap spending measure that would achieve cuts of $100 billion...Texas Rep. Joe Barton characterized the meeting as a “group hug.” ~ Politico Reporter Jake Sherman, 2011

Top 10 Greywater Universities

2011-08-07T14:46:00.000-07:00

The competition for green in the greymatter world of the academies is keen. Oregon State University was recently listed in the top green schools by the Princeton Review, primarily due to the institutional efforts to use green power and promote *sustainability*.

The Rainbow Water Coalition has profiled many projects and buildings in hopes of mining this knowledge for the budding Oregon Sustainability Center, but with the continued delays in getting that project under construction has led to the bar of success climbing ever so higher with each passing month. Next month is BEST FEST at Portland State University, celebrating all things green across the not-so-green landscape of Oregon, mostly focusing on the Oregon Sustainability Center and how to jump start the green economy in Oregon.

In no particular order, check out some of the best *greymatter meets greywater* projects in the news:

Okanagan College Centre of Excellence. EarthTechling provided this summary of a new beyond LEED Platinum building that is powered by solar and cooled by geothermal. In homage to the devastating bettle kill of pine trees across western North America, the wood is 100% derived from British Columbia. It reuses all of its waste and greywater onsite.

Stanford Graduate School of Business. Another EarthTechling article about the Knight Management Center where *...extensive use of recycled materials and low-VOC finishes; rainwater and greywater used for flushing toilets, cutting potable water consumption for sewer conveyance by 80%...*

Colorado State University. Serious business when it comes to greywater research, but also going for it when it comes to taking the lead on LEED...Colorado State University was mentioned in this article published in the Northern Colorado Business Report, where CSU *is graywater testing in residence halls...has six LEED Gold buildings and five others pending certification...the university's first interdisciplinary minor in Global Environmental Sustainability...and...formally dedicated one of the largest solar plants in the nation at a university - a 5.3-megawatt operation that will help the state meet goals for renewable energy and keep the university's utility rates stable and affordable during the next 20 years*.

University of Georgia Building 1516. The newest residence hall on the UGA campus, featuring among many other things, *Use of treated graywater (recycled water from showers and bathroom sinks) for flushing toilets; Bioretention systems located near the building to filter pollutants from and treat stormwater runoff; A rainwater catchment system for water recycling; and Drought-tolerant landscaping*

Washington University Tyson Living Learning Center. Part of a much larger research enterprise, International Center for Advanced Renewable Energy and Sustainability, the Tyson Living Learning Center pretty much started it all in the US. The Rainbow Water Coalition posted about their approach to an *alternative compliance approach* to meeting rules and regulations.

Bridgewater State University's Marshall Conant Science Building and Worcester Polytechnic Institute Sports and Recreation Center. Why a tag team of two schools? Both schools are located in Massachusetts, and both are using the same greywater reuse equipment manufactured by Practical Applications, Inc. (PAI). Bridgewater was discussed here, and Worcester is discussed in this article.

University of Washington Center for Urban Waters. Located in Tacoma, the project was constructed using an alternative approach to traditional public works projects through the use of a nonprofit company created specifically for the project and is leased by the City of Tacoma and the University of Washington. Among its many *facts*, the facility uses 46% less water than a conventional facility, stormwater collected in tanks is used to flush toilets and irrigate plants.

University of British Columbia Center for Interactive Research on Sustainability. British Columbia is already famous for the fabulous greenwall at the Vancouver airport. According to this press release, UBC is claiming that the Center for Interactive Research on Sustainability (CIRS) will be the greenest building in North America. UBC says *...that the building will be a net energy producer thanks to on-site fuel cells, solar panels, solar hot water heaters, ground source heat pumps, and a biomass co-generation system*.

University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee's (UWM) National Center for Water Technology and Policy. According to this press release, it is not clear where the new center will be housed. Green buildings are not new to UWM, as discussed here. But as discussed here and here, Milwaukee is going into the water reuse business, big time.

University of California, Berkeley. *Solar Optics-based Active Pasteurization (SOAP) for Greywater Reuse and Integrated Thermal (GRIT) Building Control*. National Science Foundation funded project on greywater? Not much else needs to be said.

* * *

Oregon Universities System Oregon Sustainability Center? Should the Oregon Sustainability Center be listed in the Top 10? Given that Oregon is still wrestling with the greywater reuse rules, coupled with the slowdown in the construction of the Oregon Sustainability Center, I am hopeful that the concept of simply storing stormwater in a 200,000 gallon tank somewhere on the premises can be revisited by taking a new look at an old idea. What will I be presenting at BEST FEST? Reframing water use through the gem of recycled water - sapphirewater, invented by the clever Australians - under the guise of alternate compliance.

Transforming Rooftop Tanks

2011-08-01T09:49:00.000-07:00

RWC follower and friend Amitangshu sent me this link about an artist taking on the challenge to beautify rooftop water tanks.

The artist? Read more here.

* * *

One of the unique things is that whether we were out at sea or in the middle of the water tank, a lot of times you just couldn't leave. Especially when we were out at sea. ~ Actor John C. Reilly

Fortune Cookie Rainbow Message Redux

2011-07-31T09:48:00.000-07:00

This fortune cookie message must be in the *top ten* manufactured since I also *ate* it in another posting over a year ago.

I used that posting to celebrate some RWC statistics, so here are the revised totals one year later: 202 postings versus 50; 7866 visitors versus 1505; 117 countries versus 50.

* * *

We had kind of a rocky start, but I spent a lot of time working with the President and handing him statistics and showing him what we were doing as we went along and kind of saying to him, you know, this is really important. ~ Former Arizona Governor and Secretary of the Interior Bruce Babbitt

Hammer vs. Scalpel

2011-07-30T10:05:00.000-07:00

Attorney Nathan Bracken of the Western States Water Council described the Hammer vs. Scalpel approach to dealing with *exempt wells* at the exempt well conference held in Walla Walla, WA in mid May. What he discovered through years of research on exempt wells across the western US is that a *local* approach to managing *things* like exempt wells made more sense and was more effective if they were handled locally as opposed to trying to invoke a statewide approach. The conference also heard from a county planners or county commissioners from western US states (and western Canadian provinces) about their local efforts at working with exempt wells. Some results were good, some have become bad (as in the case of Jefferson County, CO), and some have become downright ugly.

What is the connection to greywater you ask?

Some states have invoked the *hammer* approach to greywater, tacitly assuming that by developing prescriptive rules and regulations, along with permits and associated fees, greywater reuse will work across the entire state. Good early examples of this strategy include Wisconsin, where in this posting it describes that few residents were participating in the greywater reuse program because the rules were too rigid, eventually leading to the fabled *Wisconsin rewrite*. Oregon is another example, where the proposed rules and regulations are reasonable, but the reasonableness of the permit and annual $50 fee per system remains debatable.

Then there are the *scalpel* approaches, such as what is now occurring in Marin County, CA. In a stunning reversal of policy, this article in the Marin Independent Journal and editorial outline the recent revisions to the greywater reuse rules - no permit and no fees - for simple greywater systems. Just a notification form is all that is needed to start the happy practice of greywater reuse.

The reasoning behind the change?....*the county has only a "handful" of graywater permits on file.* and *The goal is to remove the cost and bureaucratic hassle of the county permit process. Households that install gray water system need only file a statement of notification*.

Sounds similar to the *cowboy* way in Wyoming and Oklahoma.

Greywater governance does not need to use the *hammer*. The Marin County approach of reducing helicopter government is consistent with the Tennessee and Minnesota way of local jurisdictions deciding how greywater should be reused and at what cost to the customer who already paid for the water when it was *used* once.

* * *

If you only have a hammer, you tend to see every problem as a nail.

~ American Psychologist Abraham Maslow

Wisdom, Justice, and Moderation

2011-07-28T15:11:00.000-07:00

The State of Georgia has been in the news for their *victory* over the use of Lake Lanier, the water supply for the Atlanta metro area and one of the sore spots regarding water between neighbors Alabama and Florida. As this friendly *water war* progressed, Georgia's governor, Sonny Perdue, signaled that it was time for Georgia to get serious about water planning, and integrated greywater into the statewide plan. The top party school in the US, the University of Georgia, also started down the path to become one of the top *green* schools in the nation by integrating greywater into the design and use of a new college dorm.

Despite the apparent *victory* over their water neighbors, this report by WALB news about the 20% increase in production is at MillerCoors Albany, Georgia plant where they are still trying to save water. They issued a press release on their sustainability initiative report a couple of weeks ago. Water highlights include:

• Approached, and in some instances met, the company’s 2015 water efficiency ratio goal of 3.5 barrels of water per barrel of beer at three breweries

• Began a pilot study to assess water risks related to barley growing in the Snake River Valley region of Idaho

• Conducted a Water Source Vulnerability Assessment project to complete baseline assessments of watershed risks at each brewery

The article goes on to say....

Water, it's the main ingredient in every product the Albany MillerCoors plant brews. The company is committed to being a good steward of the resource, so they're making changes to their production lines, changes that include the Ionic Air Compressor.

"That uses a charged air compressed jet to clean the cans and by not using water we expect that to save four million gallons of water a year just on that one unit," said Dave Dixon, MillerCoors Environmental Engineer.

The air riser is being tested here in Albany and will likely be rolled out to other breweries nationwide. Another trial is just ending on a dry lube distribution line, that previously used a constant stream of soapy water to move cases through the brewery.

"By getting a different kind of lubrication it doesn't use water, you're not constantly spraying water on those conveyors," said Dixon.

If MillerCoors can find a market to recycle it they will. Everything from cans, to the straps on cases, to the inside of shrink wrap tubes.

"We recycle over 99 percent of all of our waste, not just recycling water and using gray water," said Dixon.

Oregon's slogan is *We Love Dreamers* but we don't have any water dreamers quite like Georgia. The RWC is keeping *Georgia on My Mind* as it continues to search for a progressive water plan that recognizes the *value* of water to sustaining businesses, just like the megabrewers in Milwaukee, WI. But Oregon can only boast of wanting to look like the other water visionary states until it overcomes the nightmare of being one of the two western states without a statewide water strategy, vision, or plan (or whatever one wants to call it).

* * *

No, our greatness does not come from our government.

~ Former Georgia Governor, Sonny Perdue

Rainbow Refugee Returns

2011-07-27T07:15:00.000-07:00

Sitings of the Rainbow Water Coalition hat continue, and an encore ping from C. Anderson, former western Oregonian now Central Oregonian, who apparently misses the regular rainbows observed in the Willamette Valley. Recently retired, Craig now boasts getting out of bed before noon to hang out with the wealthy balloon crowd in Bend. If you can't see rainbows, manufacture them.

* * *

Half the art of ballooning is to make your crashes so gentle that you can fool yourself into calling them landings.

— Richard Branson, pilot and founder of Virgin Atlantic and Virgin Galactic.

Graywater & Science Fair Projects For Dummies

2011-07-23T09:41:00.000-07:00

We have all seen this series of books. Heck, I even recently purchased one to get me through a sticky situation with designing a webpage using WordPress (yes, I am fully aware that the guidance document for WordPress is online, but believe me when I say that navigating their user instructions is like navigating through the blueprints of a nuclear powerplant).

The Rainbow Water Coalition has previously profiled some great student projects here, here, here, and here. And greywater reuse research has moved to the *big water* by being funded to the tune of millions of dollars through the National Science Foundation.

So for those who fear greywater reuse, get smart by getting this book for *dummies* and read up on the greywater reuse project that might help you make it to the *big water* of urban water resources research, too.

* * *

Artificial intelligence is no match for natural stupidity. ~ Mizdemeanor

Another Top Water Blog Ranking

2011-07-21T19:29:00.000-07:00

A new Top 25 ranking, but this time with benefits:

A badge for the Coveted Seals of Approval section of the Rainbow Water Coalition!

Congratulations to the other 24. Thanks Charles @ Seametrics.com

Greywater Action Seeking Intern

2011-07-18T22:49:00.000-07:00

Greywater Action is a small Oakland based organization working for a sustainable water culture. We teach people how to build simple home greywater and rainwater harvesting systems and waterless toilets, systems that reduce water use and provide nutrients and irrigation to grow food.

We're looking for someone passionate about water conservation and environmental justice who is competent in several of the following areas:

1) Social networking
2) Grant research and writing/grassroots fundraising
3) Interview and survey research (for a greywater system evaluation)
4) Tabling at events
5) Photography

Time commitment:
5 hours a week for at least 6 months.

This is a volunteer position, and will include free attendance in any of Greywater Action's workshops.

Please send a resume and brief cover letter to "info@greywateraction.org"

Thanks to D. Eckert of Corvallis Sustainability Coalition for this tip!

The New Green

2011-07-16T15:30:00.000-07:00

I spent much of the week traveling to water conferences (greywater was not a topic of discussion, unfortunately). In between trips, a break in the rainy weather permitted a quick rafting trip on the mighty Willamette River in western Oregon with colleague and friend Dr. Todd Kincaid, where only clearwater could be found.

But when one is trapped on a raft for a few hours, especially with a three-year-old girl, just about anything becomes a topic of discussion to get away from the never ending *why's*. The Rainbow Water Coalition hat always is a conversation starter due to the controversial logo often misinterpreted as a GLBT flag when in fact it is the celebration of rainbows and the culture of the Incans in Peru who selected the rainbow wiphala for the city of Cuzco. Todd has his own consulting hydrology business (GeoHydros) so the colorful hat initiated a conversation on the business of greywater and the history of water. Todd told me of some presentations he heard about the collapse of the Mayan empire due to water shortages while traveling in the Yucatan Peninsula.

No matter how one spells gray or grey, the recent greywater news focuses on the money that is saved by reusing greywater, either directly or indirectly such as a better *product* or *feeling* on life. In this Golf Course Industry article titled *Gray is the new green*, *greywater (actually more purple given that it is treated wastewater effluent)* is used to water turfgrass at many high end locations in North Carolina, Arizona, and surprisingly, central Oregon. The reported benefits of greywater reuse:

*...the holes irrigated with effluent are looking better than those irrigated with the fresh water*;

*Turfgrass acts as a filter for using lesser-quality water. Environmentally, it is the right thing to do*;

*We have also noticed an improved greening effect in the turf because it also lowers the pH of the soil, which in turn releases the micro nutrients being tied up in the soil*

This article titled *Going grey - it's the new green* in the Bermuda Sun serves more as an advertisement for the Canadian Brac system, but the quoted numbers are pretty impressive. Water truly has value on Bermuda where these greywater converts estimate *...a water tank delivery at $75, they say the system has saved them up to $750 in the past three months alone*.

The Incans recognized the value of *green* on the Cuzco Wiphala by designating the meaning of *green* to natural resources. I followed up on Todd's discussion on the Mayan water history and found this paper published in the open access journal Water. Apparently, the Mayan royalty disappeared due to their inability to *deliver* the water to their subjects as the climate changed leading to extended droughts...*The Maya royal house of cards collapsed because it relied largely on water control*...*The lesson here is that we need to rely on diverse and more flexible means of support*.

H Y D R O D I V E R S I F Y O R D I E

Living Walls, Roofs, and Rinks

2011-07-09T12:01:00.000-07:00

Greywater is frequently referenced as a means to reuse water for living walls, greenwalls, green roofs, and as we learned in the recent posting - rinks!

The Living Building challenge promotes greywater reuse and we have seen a few examples of living walls promoted for Washington's entry in the living building challenge, as well as other US examples here. Canada boasts this great greenwall at their Vancouver airport. Then there are the advocates for vertical farms and greywater reuse.

Oregon has the Moon Brothers to thank for innovative greywater reuse as they strive to achieve Living Building status. Other Oregon greenwall projects have been shelved or placed on indefinite hold.

And then there are the smaller projects, probably the ones with the largest impacts. For example, take a look at the living wall display at the Corvallis South COOP developed in part by the Corvallis Sustainability Coalition, water team. Simple, but very effective display. All that is needed are a few Hughies strewn about and one is sold on the magic of greywater!

Living roofs are receiving more attention, especially with some of the bold new projects underway in California which reuse greywater. Sure, Oregon has a few green or *eco* roofs, such as at the Multnomah County building and at one of the OHSU buildings, but none reuse greywater because Oregon is still working through the graywater rules and regulations.

The greyvolution is underway to raise roofs, walls, and rinks. Who would have thought that *waste* would lead to such diversity?

* * *

I take as my guide the hope of a saint: in crucial things, unity; in important things, diversity; in all things, generosity. ~ George Bush, 41st President of the United States

Greywater Gets Zambonied

2011-07-08T18:34:00.000-07:00

OK, as a native Canadian, this is water news that I can relate to because it is another example of multi-phase greywater. This article by The Canadian Press, TSN version, describes greywater reuse in Manitoba for ice rinks!

*The province is looking at a pilot project that would see the Winnipeg arena where Stanley Cup champion Jonathan Toews played hockey as a child convert its shampoo and sweat-laced waste water into ice for five of its skating rinks. John Bennett, executive director of the Sierra Club of Canada, said recycling grey water to make ice rinks is an innovative idea which benefits everyone. It cuts greenhouse gas emissions and saves municipal taxpayers money by reducing the amount of water that needs to be purified, he said. It also means less pollution gets into the country's lakes and rivers, Bennett added. There is no reason that ice rinks need to be made from the highest standard of drinking water in the land, he said.

"I'm pretty sure there isn't a health problem as a result of this," Bennett said. "I think it's a very good idea and a way to make Canada's national game more energy efficient.*

For those curling experts in the readership, be forewarned, greywater is not suitable for curling ice...*but some curlers are a little more reticent about playing on recycled shower water. Ray Turnbull, curling champion and retired commentator for TSN, said ice is one -- if not the most -- important factor in the sport. Curling rinks are currently made from de-ionized water which ensures no chemicals end up in the ice, he said. Otherwise, chemicals rise to the surface and can create "pebbles" in the ice, he said.

"I don't think you'd have a chance with curling," Turnbull said. "Skating ice is 1,000 per cent different than curling ice. The ice is everything.*

* * *

There are three things in life that people like to stare at: a flowing stream, a crackling fire and a Zamboni clearing the ice.

~ Charlie Brown

Rainbows Converge in Pacific Northwest

2011-07-03T11:34:00.000-07:00

The Rainbow Family of Living Light selected Skamania County, Washington for the gathering this year. According to their *unofficial* website, the Rainbow Family is *...the largest non-organization of non-members in the world. We have no leaders, and no organization*. According to this article, the gathering may top 50,000!

The Rainbow Family of Living Light visited Oregon in 1997 using a site in Ochoco National Forest near the town of Prineville. If one is concerned about the *footprint* associated with such a large gathering, check out this article in The Oregonian about having difficulty finding the location given its rapid recovery.

And the connection to greywater? Just like the Burning Man event, the Rainbows have a *mini-manual* covering all the necessities of living amongst others who thrive on non-organization.

* * *

When the earth is ravaged and the animals are dying, a new tribe of people shall come unto the earth from many colors, classes, creeds, and who by their actions and deeds shall make the earth green again. They will be known as the warriors of the Rainbow ~ Old Native American Prophecy (from the unofficial website).

The Colors of Poo

2011-07-02T10:39:00.000-07:00

News and events covering greywater reuse have been few and far between this past couple of weeks so in the spirit of a follow-up to The Geographies of Shit, the Rainbow Water Coalition continues the public service stories on the colors of things. Building upon the extensive analyses of the colors of water, waste, Hughies, greywater threat levels, data, carbon, ice, and covert operations, the RWC offers a more extensive analysis of blackwater in all its forms (see also sidebar) through the colors of poo.

Golden Poo. This color of poo has many connections. Perhaps most famous as the award for the worst company in the America by the consumer watchdog Consumerist. The 2011 Golden Poo award goes to BP. Golden poo trophies are also awarded to those special people who excel at stand up toilet humor. And Golden poo (Kin no Unko) is a good luck charm in Japan.

Silver Poo. The first ever 2011 Silver Poo award goes to Consumerist's second place winner - Bank of America.

Rainbow Colors of Poo. It should come as no surprise that someone in cyberland collects the *scoop on poop*, including data, songs, humor, historical notes, etc. which can be viewed at SmellyPoop.com. Seriously, this is a public service website where one can learn more about health and well-being, as well as send a friend a greeting card, or *buy some crap*...

* * *

Never kick a fresh turd on a hot day.

~ Harry S. Truman, 33rd President of the United States

Grand Greywater Scheme Grounded

2011-06-28T10:47:00.000-07:00

The vaunted Oregon Sustainability Center took a swift kick in the foundation by the Oregon State Legislature. The ability to bond the project was not given to the Oregon University System by the legislature. There were many reasons according to this article in The Oregonian.

But if one really wants to get a read on how the public feels about the project, scroll down the article to the comments section.

* * *

"One of the things they told us was that some of the materials for the building haven't been invented yet"... "How are you bidding on something that hasn't been invented yet?"

House co-Speaker Bruce Hanna, R-Roseburg

Getdowns Greywater Gadgetry

2011-06-26T09:22:00.000-07:00

It is finally summer time (at least around some parts of North America), and given the few days of dry, cloudless days in Oregon, it is time for festivals and rodeos. Portland hosts an annual Blues Festival along the Willamette River on July 1-4, which is a kick. Cheyenne Frontier Days happens during late July, and if one lost their recycled rattlesnake hat band or belt, this is the place to restock. And let's not forget about the annual Getdown in North Carolina over Labor Day weekend. I am certain there are a few other events that I am missing, but one gets the point - there is alot of fun to be had across the states, and even more opportunities for reusing greywater.

Like this example profiled in the London Free Press where *This year, the city has added a permanent sewer and underground grease-collection bin in the park to collect waste water created after food vendors wash their dishes. Instead of that grey water being dumped into the city's storm sewers and ending up in the Thames River, the new system separates the grease, fats and oils from the rest of the water*.

Thanks to Maryanne MacDonald and her group Waste Free World, who are making summer festivals in the UK, and perhaps the world, greener. Gosh, with the Waterfront Blues Festival so close to the Willamette River, it would make sense for the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality to promote something similar given the Oregon Environmental Council's Love Your River campaign.

Thanks to the Oregon Water Thorn for the tip on the campaign and shout out on Exempt Wells.

* * *

All the waste in a year from a nuclear power plant can be stored under a desk.
~ Former US President Ronald Reagan

THE Greywater Guide

2011-06-25T07:05:00.000-07:00

Australian greywater grandmaster Paul James of Just Water Savers USA Inc. has a new greywater guide that is worthy of being awarded the last of the globally-coveted, limited edition, Rainbow Water Coalition hats!

Seriously, this guide has an up-to-date synthesis of US state rules, and it appears that a blog is available, too.

Lying awake at night wondering if greywater is a friend or foe? Paul answers this nagging question with aplomb.

Be safe buckeye. Oregon misses you.

* * *

The rest of my life will be devoted to women and litigation
~ Australian actor Errol Flynn

Oro y plata y gris de agua

2011-06-22T20:22:00.000-07:00

The State of Montana is one of the few *kitchensink* greywater states. Not much has been mentioned by the Rainbow Water Coalition about Montana's greywater program because, well, they have been pretty silent about the program - until now. Colleague and Director of the Montana Water Center Gretchen Rupp recently circulated their newsletter that profiled Montana's greywater program.

Montana's wealth now includes greywater to add to their goldwater and silverwater.

Thanks to Aquadoc for the tip to this newsletter.

* * *

If you don't mind smelling like peanut butter for two or three days, peanut butter is darn good shaving cream. ~ Barry Goldwater

Exempt Wells: What Color Art Thou?

2011-06-22T10:25:00.000-07:00

I participated in an international conference on exempt wells in Walla Walla, WA last month where about 70 participants converged on this wicked problem at the incredibly beautiful and historic Marcus Whitman Hotel. This is serious wine country.

If one is curious about exempt wells, these are the millions of wells that are used for domestic, stock watering, and in some cases commercial uses which are *exempt* from securing a water right or permit before drilling. The only western US state that does not allow *exempt* wells is Utah. Other states, and Canadian provinces, allow these wells to be used because of the perception that the use is de minimis, hardly worth the trouble to regulate. But the wells are not limited to the US and Canada. Spain and Mexico apparently are also wrestling with the same issues, sometimes referred to as a *Silent Revolution*.

The issue now focuses on whether the millions of wells interfere with other water rights holders, including surface water rights, as groundwater that would otherwise eventually discharge to a stream, river, or lake is captured by the wells. Other issues include how many *stock* can be watered with an exempt well (we heard the story about a cattle feedlot wanting to use exempt wells for 50,000 head), the impacts to water quality (do the wells serve as conduits for contaminants from the ground surface or from septic tanks?), whether or not the drilling industry missing a large financial opportunity by promoting that the wells they build last for generations rather than needing regular maintenance and/or abandonment as land use around the well changes, and the use of exempt wells for aquifer storage and recovery. Some participants also argued there are no problems with exempt wells, and that the status quo for management works.

I can't think of many hydraulic structures that connect so many of the colors of water together!

We tried something different with this conference. Rather than just posting the presentations on the conference website, we had facilitators embedded in the audience of each presentation. They took notes and facilitated discussions at the end of each day to remind everyone what was said. It was an interesting exercise because what the speaker thought they said, and the message they hoped would be taken home, was not necessarily what was heard by the facilitators. The daily facilitation then permitted the speakers to revise the take-home message. This approach led to not only a summary presentation of the entire conference, but also a short summary *white* paper of the conference.

The presentations can be view here. The summary presentation of the entire conference can be viewed here. The summary *white* paper can be accessed here. A great show, and thanks to all that participated.

* * *

Things done well and with a care, exempt themselves from fear.

~ William Shakespeare

World REVOLVEs Around Water

2011-06-20T08:44:00.000-07:00

REVOLVE is an international magazine dedicating part of their summer issue to water. An interesting thread connecting all of the water issue articles is water reuse as a good investment, as a means to enhance water diplomacy, and as a resource to help Iraq get back on track with rebuilding their country. And one of the *stars of the north* is mentioned as an international leader in water investments - the Milwaukie Water Council.

Shill Alert - colleague Aaron Wolf and I were invited to prepare one of the articles for this issue.

L'étoile du nord (sans l'eau grise)

2011-06-19T15:31:00.000-07:00

Minnesota, land of 10,000-plus lakes, the *Star of the North*, with perhaps the most comprehensive Statewide Water Conservation and Preservation Plan lead by the Minnesota Water Resources Center co-directed by colleague Dr. Deborah Swackhamer of the University of Minnesota, and surprisingly, one of the states without a statewide greywater reuse program. Why the surprise? Because Wisconsin, a state with a progressive greywater reuse program developed after years of trying to implement a regressive greywater reuse program, is located closeby!

Part of the challenge of greywater reuse in Minnesota is more than likely attributed to the thin soil and ancient, hard fractured *Canadian Shield* rocks underlying the region. Recall this posting where The Ohio State University researchers determined that soil was a critical part of the solution to septic tank pollution that "...can be measured in inches"..."Septic systems rely on dirt to finish treating sewage released from the tanks. Soil bacteria break down human wastes and destroy bacteria and viruses". A new bill was introduced to in Ohio to "...create an 18-inch soil standard" and that The Ohio State University researcher said at least 4 feet of soil is needed to ensure that bacteria and viruses in sewage are safely eliminated.

But even with the challenging hydrogeologic environment, coupled with the general lack of a statewide greywater program, greywater reuse is promoted by NextStep which is part of the Minnesota Sustainable Communities Network affiliated with the Sustainable Communities Team, Environmental Assistance, of the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. First, a greywater reuse manual is available for purchase for about $60 through Round River Alternatives, a non-governmental organization. NextStep also provides information on greywater reuse systems, offering links to the classics listed in the Rainbow Water Coalition *Greywater Goodies* such as Greywater Action, Oasis Design, and Brac.

But they also link to another Minnesota-based greywater reuse system - the SymBioSystem available from Round River Renewables. The SymBioSystem uses the effluent from the septic tank to fill a second underground tank, or Pod Filter Tank where *the Pod filter increases water clarity while also providing a pump chamber which pressure doses the drip irrigation system*.

Recalling the Equaris system that is also developed in Minnesota as previously discussed here, it is pretty clear that despite the general lack of a statewide program promoting greywater reuse, perhaps the *Star of the North* is suggesting another route to greywater reuse is through system approval by county wastewater departments in Minnesota, much like that discussed here in Tennessee.

The clever Minnesotans are one of the water *stars of the north*, joining Wisconsin on brewing leading edge greywater reuse equipment along with their state-of-the-art statewide water planning program, apparently leaving greywater reuse decisions up to local jurisdictions.

* * *

I also believe that government has no business telling us how we should live our lives. I think our lifestyle choices should be left up to us. What we do in our private lives is none of the government's business. That position rules out the Republican Party for me.
~ Former Governor of Minnesota Jesse Ventura

Riding for the Brand

2011-06-18T07:48:00.000-07:00

Online magazine Jetson Green reminded the Rainbow Water Coalition of a greywater gadget that was previously posted here named Water Legacy manufactured in Boulder, Colorado. It is interesting to note that greywater reuse products are being introduced with brand names suggesting that greywater reuse is not a passing fad, but rather something here to stay.

In their article, Jetson Green writes *Upon reaching the Water Legacy system, water is treated in a series of steps with a water filter, hydrogen peroxide disinfectant, and a UV light disinfectant system, before reaching the holding tank for distribution to toilets as needed. This disinfectant process is enough to neutralize pollutants, living organisms, and E-Coli, an indicator species for other pathogens.

Prior to delivery to toilets, the water is treated again under the UV light. Additional piping requirements are reduced if you can locate the system near the water supply and sewer outflow. The Water Legacy unit includes an overflow to the sewer system in the event of too much greywater production and a potable make-up connection if there is not enough greywater to supply the toilets. The packaged unit itself comes with a price tag of $3,200*. That is about the cost of the popular Brac system manufactured in Canada and previously discussed here.

In western US myth and legend, “Riding for the brand” connoted loyalty and pride. Nathan Collier's NCSBlog put it succinctly *The brand was a “ranch’s trademark and represents pride, duty, and stewardship while inspiring loyalty, dedication, and cowboy camaraderie.”... When you rode for the brand, it meant that you had signed on to the mission, that you had committed, that you were a dedicated team player. If you weren’t, then you had no business being on the ranch’s payroll*.

The Rainbow Water Coalition does not ride for a particular brand of greywater gadgetry, but does ride for the brand of greywater ingenuity. There appears to be alot of financial opportunity out there in greywater land. And the opportunity goes beyond just the *green* to natural *security*.

Blow the smoke out of your face. Ride the greywater wave.

* * *

Courage is being scared to death - and saddling up anyway.

~John Wayne

Can't see the Green through the Smokescreen

2011-06-12T15:05:00.000-07:00

The New York Times ran this article on the lost *green* business opportunities in the US due to the ongoing debate over whether or not climate change is real.

“The United States was a nearly untouched market with 120 million homes, most of them very energy-inefficient — it was a massive opportunity,” said Bill Rumble, the company’s commercial director, who had recently returned from its new American headquarters.

Many European countries — along with China, Japan and South Korea — have pushed commercial development of carbon-reducing technologies with a robust policy mix of direct government investment, tax breaks, loans, regulation and laws that cap or tax emissions. Incentives have fostered rapid entrepreneurial growth in new industries like solar and wind power, as well as in traditional fields like home building and food processing, with a focus on energy efficiency.

But with Congress deeply divided over whether climate change is real or if the country should use less fossil fuel, efforts in the United States have paled in comparison. That slow start is ceding job growth and profits to companies overseas that now profitably export their goods and expertise to the United States.

A recent report by the Pew Charitable Trusts found that while the clean technology sector was booming in Europe, Asia and Latin America, its competitive position was “at risk” in the United States because of “uncertainties surrounding key policies and incentives.”

“This is a $5 trillion business and if we fail to be serious players in the new energy economy, the costs will be staggering to this country,” said Hal Harvey, a Stanford engineer...

What is slowing down the debate? Rainbows!

This article in the New York Times describes the story about the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond who ran a rainbow flag up its flagpole last week.

Jim Strader, a spokesman for the bank, said the bank had fielded hundreds of phone calls and as many e-mails about the flag. The flag, he said, symbolizes “values of being open and inclusive,” and shows that the bank is “a place that doesn’t discriminate.”

A conservative opponent to the flag display argues *...that the bank is a government institution and so should not be displaying a flag that promotes a cause. And now that they are, the argument goes, they have an obligation to other causes*.

Comparable articles, such as this one run in the Richmond Times-Dispatch counter *The Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond is a private company with a board of directors elected mainly by member banks. It enjoys the free-speech rights of any American corporation*.

What is the point of this discussion to the Rainbow Water Coalition? It comes down to comments made by followers and fellow greywater experts A. Wentworth and P. Evans who have indicated observers pass judgement when they were *caught* wearing the limited edition and globally-coveted Rainbow Water Coalition hats. A. Wentworth indicated many ask about the connection to GLBT causes and water; they are not dissuaded by the inquiries, but rather use it as an ice-breaker for conversations about greywater reuse.

But careful examination of the Rainbow Water Coalition logo and the *rainbow* flag reveal some important differences. First, the RWC logo is based on the seven colors of the rainbow first used in a wiphala by the ancient city of Cuzco, Peru. Second, the RWC logo is a square, not a rectangle, consistent with the use of the native peoples of the Andes. I read that the City of Cuzco is considering changing their flag to avoid the confusion in hopes regain their ancient *identity* rather than the modern connection to the GLBT identity.

Learn some geography before getting too carried away with the smokescreen of labeling identity, folks.

And so one asks what is the connection to *green*, *rainbows*, and greywater?

Greywater is part of the *green* business world. Recalling the New York Times article...Many European countries — along with China, Japan and South Korea — have pushed commercial development of carbon-reducing technologies....where the Asia Tigers are aiming to grab water supply and sewage treatment contracts in a global water market that could top $1 trillion by 2025.

Regardless of where one stands on the climate change debate, the pot-o'-gold at the end of the *rainbow* is simply too real to be lost in the *fog* of the global warming war. Mind the Bin.

* * *

Business is recognizing the role it can play in combatting climate change. Thank God, is all I can say, for there is a desperately urgent need for business to play that role. Your lobbying influence can be substantial, but together, united and in large enough numbers it could prove decisive in turning the tide.~ Prince Charles

Vols Vacillate on Greywater

2011-06-06T05:56:00.000-07:00

I found the following helpful information and septic tank pumping schedule in the Bullrun Creek Watershed newsletter - Tennessee state law prohibits the discharge of “grey water”, or water from a washing machine, anywhere except to a septic tank. To extend the life of a septic tank that processes sewage, install a separate system for processing greywater. Spreading laundry loads throughout the week, instead of having a designated “laundry day,” can prevent an immediate overloading of the septic system. An overload of the system in a short period could prevent the separation of the solids from the liquids which can clog the drainfield. Overloading also occurs when the tank is not pumped regularly and the plumbing has become clogged or the tank has filled with solids. When this happens, harmful bacteria aren’t broken down properly (causing ground water contamination) or wastewater backs up into the home.

I thought the recommendation to build a separate wastewater system for greywater was an excellent idea and consistent with practices elsewhere in the world where septic systems are difficult to maintain.

This Archinect School blog posting at the University of Tennessee (Samuel) describes student work on bio-retention beds where *...the five beds have now been planted full of native water loving goodness! The greywater bed is piped in, but can't be turned on until city ordinances allowing it have passed in June*.

It sounds like Tennesssee might be rethinking their stance on greywater reuse, at least considering a more local approach to decision making on the issue! Greywater governance in action.

* * *

Tennessee - America at Its Best

~Official state slogan of Tennessee

DIY Tribute

2011-06-04T06:44:00.000-07:00

I teach a class titled *Introduction to Water Science and Policy* online nearly every term. We cover alot of material in the course, ranging from drinking water to the water-climate *nexus*. During *Wasted Water* week, visits to the Rainbow Water Coalition are awarded extra credit. This term, star student J. O'Brine sent me this photograph of a homemade greywater filter. The source of inspiration? A Do-It-Yourself website!

The Rainbow Water Coalition has profiled other efforts at greywater DIY. The most infamous are the very creative, but still illegal, greywater treatment systems developed by the Greywater Gangsters (see video on sidebar) associated with the Oregon-based group ReCode, a remarkable group of individuals dedicated to maintaining some sanity in Oregon's anti-green rules and regulations.

One of the grandmasters of greywater and rainwater harvesting DIY is the Zen Rainman. The following Rainman has garnered falls just short of the Justin Bieber fans. DIY videos are common, and here is one where a greywater guy has invented a shower water diverter for a couple of bucks. This heat recovery system is pretty remarkable, too. Worms wasting greywater - another backyard project. Hydrophilanthropist Dr. David Manz developed his famous biosand filter as a DIY project, and teaches the world how to build the filters, for free.

Reusing greywater is easy, cheap, and brings out the best in innovation. Regulating greywater reuse is expensive, difficult, and brings out the best in the pursuit of recodification.

* * *

If you have ten thousand regulations you destroy all respect for the law. ~Winston Churchill

Look Both Ways

2011-06-03T07:51:00.000-07:00

Shout out to Paul James of JustWaterSavers for alerting me to this video with some great visual effects.

Mom always told us to look both ways before crossing the street. The message in this video underscores that keeping greywater *safe* to reuse downstream depends in large part on *upstream* behavior.

Top 50 Most Innovative Water Technologies & Oregon Greywater Gadgetry

2011-05-28T18:17:00.000-07:00

Water Online posted this article about the Artemis Project... *a boutique consulting practice dedicated to helping companies thrive in a world of increasing water scarcity, has announced the 2011 Artemis Project Top 50 award honorees. The Top 50 identifies the most promising companies that are applying innovation in the market to address today's dire water challenges*.

The gallery of posters of the winners can be viewed here.

Culled from over 200 applications — a 30 percent increase from 2010 — the companies named to the 2011 list are applying innovative technologies to provide more sustainable water management. They are helping to manage infrastructure, recover valuable resources from waste, and preserve natural ecosystems. They work in fields such as energy-efficient wastewater treatment, smart grid water management, biosolids conversion to energy, pollutant biodegradation, and reverse osmosis desalination.

And the Oregon-based winner?

Puralytics is not new to winning prizes. They were recognized in 2010 and were listed as one of the Top 15 Greywater Gadgets by the Rainbow Water Coalition!

* * *

This activist loves Oregon more than he loves life.
~ Former Oregon Governor Tom McCall

Greywater Goes Galactic

2011-05-27T16:00:00.000-07:00

Greywater goes galactic - in the new Star Trek theme park located in Jordan. Yes, according to this article in Allmediany.com *...outdoing the rumors about the movie’s sequel is the announcement of a plan to build a Star Trek amusement park in Aqaba, Jordan*. And this theme park is boldly going where no person has gone before in the local universe.

Rubicon Group Holding is working in coordination with Paramount Recreation through an agreement with CBS consumer products to create the $1 billion dollar, 184-acre resort with a Star Trek theme, according to Hotelier Middle East. The resort, to be named The Red Sea Astrarium, will “deliver a variety of multi-sensory 23-century experiences, culminating with a state-of-the art space-flight adventure that takes real-time immersive entertainment experiences to bold new heights,” according to Hotelier Middle East. The resort will create 500 jobs for the local economy, and will utilize renewable and green energy technology. It will also feature a “future pavilion” where visitors can learn about new energy sources such as greywater harvesting.

Recall this posting about greywater reuse in the Middle East where Jordan was profiled as a greywater-friendly country. It appears that the future for greywater is bright (or at least a light shade of grey) in the galaxies.

"By golly, Jim... I'm beginning to think I can cure a rainy day!" -- McCoy (The Devil in the Dark)

Grey Water -The Band

2011-05-23T01:09:00.000-07:00

How many bands can you think of that are named after a color of water?

Introducing Grey Water, a rock, southern rock, and country band from Greer, South Carolina.

From their bio:

Father and Sons Team. All are songwriters! Allen, Jonathan, Earl Bridwell! The Family that ROCKS TOGETHER STAYS TOGETHER!

From their press page:

Great! - Spirit Radio

A little different genre than the previously posted Ghostwater and Black Water.

"Country music is three chords and the truth." - American songwriter Harlan Howard

Another Asian Tiger Roars Green

2011-05-22T11:37:00.000-07:00

WaterWired recently posted on a trip to Korea to speak on Central Asia water, which prompted the Rainbow Water Coalition to explore what Korea might be doing in the way of greywater reuse.

The RWC was not disappointed.

This article in The Korean Herald reports that *Samsung C&T Corp., the country’s No. 2 builder, is strengthening its eco-friendly capabilities to take the lead in applying green technologies to the construction sector. The company, which developed the zero-energy building Green Tomorrow, has been strengthening research and development efforts, as well as securing a pool of experts. Green Tomorrow contains 68 eco-friendly technologies, allowing the building to cut energy use and use renewable energy sources. The building was awarded the top Platinum rating in the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification*.

No US outfits are involved, and noone from the *green* state of Oregon?

*Overseas institutions Samsung C&T is collaborating with include Canada Design Research Network in the field of eco-friendly design, Finland’s VTT Technical Research Center in air quality and the U.K.-based Energy Systems Research Unit in energy simulations*.

And the connection to greywater?

*The company has also been active in installing greywater systems, and is currently installing the system at 11 sites. In particular, the Samsung Group office in Seoul is fitted with a greywater system with 490 ton capacity...The company has also developed a high-efficiency greywater treatment system that requires less space and operating costs*.

Other Grand Greywater and Green Schemes take note. Taiwan also built the tallest green building.

Perhaps it is time to reconsider these grand green investments and support existing, local, net-zero efforts.

Korean Proverb: hijaki banida (시작이 반이다). - Starting is half the task. A good start is important to any effort.

Rainbow Invasion in Oregon's Deschutes Basin

2011-05-21T09:37:00.000-07:00

Friend and colleague Craig Anderson shows off Rainbow Water Coalition Pride in central Oregon, soon to be his new home after working over 30 years for Oregon State University. A avid fan of just about everything water, Craig helped me design some of the first eCampus classes and was in large part responsible for OSU's 2011 top 20 ranking in online universities and colleges in the US. Bend, Oregon's beleaguered housing market is now better off with one more refugee from the rainbow-laden Willamette Valley. He tells me that he is off to explore Oregon's *Peculiar River*, the Deschutes River, in a kayak.

Oh yes, there is a connection to greywater. One of the members of Oregon's Graywater Advisory Committee is a wastewater engineer for the City of Redmond. But I suspect few folks in the Deschutes Basin will practice greywater reuse because this is another part of Oregon that is not experiencing water scarcity, but rather scary water quality. Restoration and water quality protection efforts are the emphasis of the Deschutes River Conservancy and the Friends of the Metolius. Here is an overview of what the Deschutes Basin looks like from a bird's eye view.

When it rains, rainbows happen. And with rainbows come the proverbial pot-o-gold. Craig was a golden friend at OSU. Keep the boat straight and use both sides of the paddle on the Peculiar River. And don't forget to enjoy a Deschutes Brewery Black Butte Porter to celebrate your good fortune.

Questioning the Status Quo in Qatar

2011-05-15T10:08:00.000-07:00

Water shortages are no news in the Middle East. This article in Gulf Times caught my eye for a number of reasons. First, the institution where I work, Oregon State University, recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Qatar for technology transfer. OSU is not unique in this regard; many schools have done the same, and some have even opened campuses in Qatar. According to the press release *The Oregon and Qatar representatives discussed near term collaborative projects in the areas of new desalination technologies, irrigation and monitoring procedures and agronomic methods. They also discussed a multi-institution, multi-state effort to establish a "next generation" irrigation management program based largely on using brackish water and reclaimed waste water to optimize agricultural use of water*. The only challenge I see in fulfilling this MOU is that OSU, like many other US institutions, is seeing their world-class faculty with expertise in these areas retiring. And the State of Oregon is still just on the first baby steps in approving the rules of greywater reuse in the state, so there is not much active research in this arena within Oregon, save the folks at the award winning Oregon-based company Puralytics.

*Qatar could develop a number of small, decentralised sewage treatment and water-recycling units instead of relying on centralised plants that receive all the greywater and blackwater through a communal system* is what a UNESCO advisor is recommending. *Independent sewage treatment facilities, if installed at housing complexes, shopping centres, and institutions with a large number of employees, would streamline the entire process and save huge quantities of fresh water*.

Previous postings have discussed greywater reuse in the Middle East, specifically this excellent document published by the Canadians and this posting about the importance of greywater to national security in the Middle East. Dr. Peter Gleick of the water thinktank Pacific Institute came out with a comparable challenge to centralized water distribution and wastewater treatment in this posting, suggesting *The old centralized model of water purification, delivery, and wastewater treatment could use some competition from small-scale, distributed systems that may produce better local benefits. This includes expanding local efforts to use greywater*. And who can forget this classic posting on the challenge to the wastewater treatment industry's local pocketbooks with decentralized water/wastewater systems.

How big is the market? According to this article, *Distributed water purification could, potentially, also finally open up the long-awaited flood of investment into water...The field of water treatment could be worth hundreds of billions of dollars a year...A shift to distributed water and private sector customers could accelerate the market. You could even see companies like IBM, Bechtel or Siemens offering the complete off-the-grid package to new housing developers and contractors*.

Contesting the status quo in Qatar just might be what it takes to make a shift from *protecting the power* of the proponents of centralized water/wastewater treatment. According to the UNESCO official studying the Qatar situation, the region is very dependent on desalination plants that *...are not really clean factories...They cause brine pollution in the marine environment with the output of higher saline water, which in turn brings biodiversity down...The desalination plants, which cause thermal pollution by heating the water a little bit, are also responsible for substantial air pollution as they are using fossil fuel*.

“Of course, the more water needs to be produced, the more these plants will pollute the air. So taking care of the waste water, trying to recycle it, is in all of our interest, it is in the interest of our environment, and human health,” Dr. Boer added.

* * *

"Those individuals, communities, and institutions that benefit from the current allocation or perceive they will suffer from a change have great power to defend the status quo." Hamman, R. 2005. The Power of the Status Quo. In Adaptive Governance and Water Conflict: New Institutions for Collaborative Planning, J.T. Scholz and B. Stiftel, editors. Washington, DC: Resources for the Future, pp.125-129.

National Rainwater and Greywater Initiative RIP

2011-05-14T00:18:00.000-07:00

No sooner than the RWC posted about how wonderful Australia's National Rainwater and Greywater Initiative was, this article in the Melbourne Herald Sun reports that *The Gillard Government axed the program, which provided up to $500 towards installing the water-saving products, in this week's Budget drive for savings*.

There is a lesson to be learned here about these types of programs. *Federal parliamentary secretary for urban water Don Farrell said scrapping the rebate proved the Government was serious about returning the Budget to surplus. Lower than expected demand also prompted the Gillard Government to cut $85.5 million over four years from programs supporting water recycling, desalination and stormwater harvesting in cities with more than 50,000 people*. Like water rights in the western US, one has to either use these government programs, or lose them.

Is Green now a dirty word in a climate of cutbacks? Will this philosophy stay in Australia?

Water Wonder from Down Under Asunder in US

2011-05-10T16:26:00.000-07:00

The Rainbow Water Coalition extends a hearty welcome to the US to the Hughies, the subject of many postings such as here, here and here and are also one of the Top 15 Greywater Gadgets and the subject of one of the Top Greywater Videos.

Ian Alexander, Managing Director of the company that manufactures and distributes the Hughie is shown here adorned in one of the coveted, limited edition Rainbow Water Coalition hats. Ian writes that the Hughie sinks, *The Water Wonder from Down Under*, are now available in the US!

Advertising on mainstream TV is underway on TLC, National Geo and Discovery channels. If you are an insomniac, you will have undoubtedly already seen one of the advertisements.

The website that the Hughie can be purchased from is www.BuyHughie.com. Check it out - it includes a *new* video (warning - there are some scenes of capturing kitchensink water for those folks with greyaquaphobia).

Fine Print Disclaimer: While the Rainbow Water Coalition highly endorses this greywater gadget, it is not compensated for the endorsement, and does not want to be.

Thanks for invading the US, Ian.

Greywater New Norm for Dorms, Part II

2011-05-08T14:39:00.000-07:00

Recalling this posting where the University of Georgia integrated greywater reuse into the construction of a new dorm on campus contributing to their ranking as one of the top *green* schools in the nation (along with their ranking as the top party school in 2010-2011), other schools are achieving the same *green* ranking with their greywater systems. Colorado State University was mentioned in this article published in the Northern Colorado Business Report, where CSU *is graywater testing in residence halls...has six LEED Gold buildings and five others pending certification...the university's first interdisciplinary minor in Global Environmental Sustainability...and...formally dedicated one of the largest solar plants in the nation at a university - a 5.3-megawatt operation that will help the state meet goals for renewable energy and keep the university's utility rates stable and affordable during the next 20 years*.

In an article published by Earth Techling, the Stanford Graduate School of Business just dedicated the Knight Management Center buildings that are flooded with natural daylighting...green features include underground parking (to reduce impact on open space)...extensive use of recycled materials and low-VOC finishes; rainwater and greywater used for flushing toilets, cutting potable water consumption for sewer conveyance by 80%; radiant heat, a heat exchanger, and a “night flushing” system that will allow the building to expel hot air at night throughout automated skylights and windows during the summer; and photovoltaic panels expected to provide for 12% of the buildings’ energy needs.

The irony in the pursuit of the LEED Platinum rating for the Knight buildings is that this is the same family that lives in Oregon and operates a tiny company called Nike. The large Oregon schools all were listed in the Top Green Schools listing for many different reasons, but none related to water reuse or greywater.

Why reuse it when one has so much of it? Heck, Oregon doesn't even know when someone is *stealing* their water right from under their noses when it is described by Hollywood's elite on Reality TV!

Dyson Does Greywater, Too

2011-05-07T08:56:00.000-07:00

Dyson, of vacuum cleaner and other cool gadgetry fame, sponsors an annual design competition. The short version of what is at stake:

THE BRIEF: Design something that solves a problem.
THE PRIZE: £10,000 to you & £10,000 to your university.
THE DATE: Closes August 2, 2011.

It is just getting started for this year, but one can check out submissions from previous years. If Dyson sounds familiar beyond the vacuum cleaners to the RWC readers, perhaps you may recall the EULO sink, one of the past entries, this cool toilet, this shower-powered greywater diverter, among many other gadgets.

2010 was no different in terms of creative uses of greywater. Here are just a few entries:

K2 ECO Tank - Function K2 Eco Tank is a shower room with a grey water collection system from the shower and sink, which is then recycled to flush the toilet. This in some circumstances can use up to 15 liters of clean tap water.

HighDro Power - HighDro Power is a new micro generation technology that uses the power of falling wastewater in a high rise building’s soil pipe to generate electricity. This electricity can either be utilised in the building to save £926 per year for a 7 storey building or sold back to the national grid on a buy back tariff. If one linked this unit with the greywater energy recovery unit previously posted about here, then a greywater user could easily dodge the annual $50 ~~tax~~ fee imposed by the State of Oregon to reuse greywater that has already been paid for once through a homeowner's water bill.

REGNA - Rainwater Harvesting and Purification System - REGNA, a rainwater harvesting and purification system, which meets the demand for the collection, purification and storage of water from natural sources such as rain or snow. The system is used to harvest rainwater for both potable and non-potable uses. The RWC added this given Oklahoma's new greywater rules which permit *mixing* of greywater and harvested rainwater to create *Vespawater*.

The RWC idea for greywater reuse would not qualify for the Dyson award because it is not a gadget, but rather an idea. How about a national greywater reuse *vision* rather than the current state-by-state approach? This could be patterned after the incredibly visionary National Rainwater and Greywater Initiative that Australia has developed. The proceeds from such a US-based program could then be used to fund a US-based competition for greywater gadgetry.

But that approach would interfere with a state's right to develop tortured greywater reuse rules that are different from a neighboring state despite sharing the same watersheds. Hydroblasphemy.

Age of Equaris

2011-04-30T17:39:00.000-07:00

The Rainbow Water Coalition has previously posted on such topics as Extreme Clearwater, Extreme Greywater, and now it thinks it has found the Extreme Greywater Gadget of the Week by Equaris that might just be the dawning of the age of Aquarius for greywater.

Thanks to RWC follower and fellow greywater researcher P. Evans who introduced me to the Equaris. Their greywater unit - Equaris Biomatter Resequencing Converter (BMRC) and Greywater (Wash Water) Treatment System has much to offer those in the *blackwater* business as well as the greywater business.

Consider the following attributes:

Eliminates septic tanks and reduces leachfields or mounds by 40 to 90%
Reduces organic landfill loading by more than 20%
Converts 90 to 95% of all toilet and kitchen organic wastes to odorless carbon dioxide and water vapor
Is totally automated, energy efficient, requires minimal maintenance
5 year proven performance history in Alaska, Canada and Minnesota
U.S. DOE Energy Innovations National Award Winner
50 year guarantee
Monitoring and maintenance services available
Satisfied customers from Alaska to New Mexico

The greywater system utilizes the standard wastewater treatment technology of extended aeration; the water is aerated [*oxidized* using the Oregon Graywater Rules twisted jargon] and bacteria grow on the interior surface walls of the tanks. As the water is circulated by the 67 watt, 110 volt linear air compressor the bacteria clean the water in a natural process. By separating the toilet flow from the greywater, the estimate for water consumption and greywater treatment is 40 gallons of wastewater per person per day. Based upon 24-hour retention for adequate treatment of the greywater, the estimated treatment capacity of each Greywater Treatment System is 250 gallons per day. For flows over 250 gallons per day additional Greywater Systems are added and installed in parallel. The aeration and circulation process biologically filters the wastewater, producing a treated wastewater effluent quality that can then be efficiently and economically filtered and disinfected for reuse. The quality of the treated water was independently tested by Olmsted County, MN and documented the following reductions. TSS 50—88%, Kjeldahl Nitrogen 83-90%, BOD 78-93% and Fecal Coliform 1000 fold.

Bottom Line: This equipment will meet FUDing state standards for graywater treatment.

The age of Equaris is not cheap, but I think everyone agrees that quality and innovation costs, especially during the early stages of a *new* age. The Equaris Biomatter Resequencing Converter (BMRC) - Compost Tank-costs about $12,500. The Equaris Greywater (Washwater) Treatment System costs about $7,500.

zodiac symbol

It has been said that we are currently shifting into the Aquarian Age. It looks like Equaris is part of the cosmic shift in thinking about water carriers, regardless of the shade of grey.

Z6 + The Water Channel = 3R

2011-04-29T10:29:00.000-07:00

Continuing the effort to eradicate ignorance in water reuse (Z6), the WaterChannel posted this note on April 27. 3R is not a rock band (like U2), an intelligence agency (like MI5) or the next all-important global conference (like COP16).

And no, it is not the latest cutting-edge technology that hydro-geologists are rolling out of their labs. 3R is an outlook that values managing water at the local level. It involves maximizing the local surface / groundwater buffer through recharge, retaining the water and benefitting from it when most needed, and reusing the water after it is extracted and used.

The following videos demonstrate some 3R-related techniques:

India: Stormwater management using leaky wells (Recharge)
Kenya: Kitui Sand Dams (Recharge/ Retention)
India: Rice on the roof- using grey water to grow paddy (Reuse)
USA: Porous Pavements (Recharge)

Practices/ techniques like these are neither new nor complicated. They have successfully met local needs in different parts of the world.

‘Adopting 3R,’ then, amounts to combining various strategies like these, while planning and implementing water management at the local level. The stress on ‘local’ reflects the objective to give people the means to protect their livelihoods in the face of increasing climate variability. At the macro-level, technology, policy and institutions should be in tune with the idea of local water buffers.

Visit the ‘Be Buffered’ website for details on 3R. More videos can be found on TheWaterChannel.

DOD Scores Some Zzzzz, Zones Out on Z6

2011-04-27T16:30:00.000-07:00

Thanks to colleague and friend D. Marshall for bringing this article in SustainableBusiness.com about the Army going net zero on environmental impact to my attention through this article about urban buildings *unplugging* from the grid.

The "net zero" energy bases are: Fort Detrick, Maryland; Fort Hunter Liggett, Park Reserve Forces Training Area and Sierra Army Depot, California; Kwajalein Atoll, Marshall Islands; and West Point, New York.

Net zero water bases: Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD.; Camp Rilea, OR; Fort Buchanan, Puerto Rico; Fort Riley, KS; Joint Base Lewis-McChord, WA; and Tobyhanna Army Depot, PA.

Net zero waste: Fort Detrick, Fort Hunter Liggett, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Ford Hood, TX; Fort Polk, LA; U.S. Army Garrison Grafenwoehr, Germany.

The Oregon Army National Guard volunteered to go net zero - on energy, waste and water - across the state, as did Fort Bliss in Texas and Fort Carson in Colorado.

And here is the DOD Sustainability Scorecard here, perhaps what can be referred to as the *Colors of Sustainability* in the continually growing list of the colors of things. Not a bad score! But it is missing one key *Z* - ZERO IGNORANCE, or *Z6*.

What is up with Camp Rilea shooting for the stars on reducing their environmental impact, especially when Oregon is still working through their Graywater Reuse rules? On the basis of other *green* news, the only connection I can make is Camp Rilea has an architect as the base commander. Yes, according to this article in the Coast River Business Journal announcing the change in commander to Lt. Col Christian Rees.

"When his six-year term of service was up, he considered life after Army. He enrolled at the University of Oregon, and earned a master’s degree in architecture...It wasn’t wasted time. His credentials make him uniquely qualified to head the architectural review process that oversees millions of dollars in construction projects at Camp Rilea and Guard facilities across the state".

This news is similar to the posting on the Moon Brothers living building project in Portland. We are not seeing state or local agencies promoting *net zero water* concepts, but rather folks who design projects. Here is a recent article about another architect, María-Paz Gutierrez, a University of California, Berkeley, assistant professor of architecture, winning a Fulbright scholarship for her research of affordable, sustainable housing. She is also part of the NSF-sponsored research team integrating greywater disinfection into building designs as described in this article.

Both the Camp Rilea project and the Moon Brothers project make me think that the State of Oregon might be wiser investing their Oregon Sustainability Center funds into these existing projects rather than trying to start from scratch because the public will better connect change to *sustainable living practices* with these projects since they already exist, much like the Tyson Center in Missouri. At least using this approach will permit Oregon a chance to level the playing field in the Living Building Wars in the Pacific Northwest.

Here's hoping Lt. Col Christian Rees continues to lead the way in catching more Zzz in his quest for *net zero* for the Oregon National Guard. Thanks for your service.

"...we're not in Kansas any more"

2011-04-24T11:00:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Dave Eckert, Water Action Team Leader of the Corvallis Sustainability Coalition, for the tip on this article out in Metropolis Mag by some journalism students from the University of Kansas who did a workshop with Greywater Action in the San Francisco bay area.

Taking Action: A Greywater Install from Luke Brummer on Vimeo.

The Geography of Graywater map needs more *diversity* in the Midwestern US. Perhaps the Wizard of Oz will help the State of Kansas find a greywater reuse law "somewhere over the rainbow" someday soon so students won't have to travel so far to enjoy the colors of water. An OK *pot-o-gold* can be found by scooting to the south.

Top Greywater Manuals and Guides

2011-04-23T12:14:00.000-07:00

With Oregon's Graywater Rules making the news, and the Oregon DEQ searching for ways to *invest* the $50 annual ~~tax~~ fee for Tier One permits, perhaps it is time to develop the education materials that the Graywater Advisory Committee once discussed, but dismissed. In no particular order, and not necessarily complete, some of the readily available guides and manuals to start turning *grey to green*.

City of San Franscisco - Laura Allen of Greywater Action helped the City of San Francisco with their manual (14MB) that was completed this year. Pretty remarkable document. Goes well with Laura's GoogleTech video.

JustWaterSaversUSA - Paul James Greatest Greywater Gardening Guide. Stories from the front lines of greywater irrigation, and truly the world view on the topic.

Oasis Design - Art Ludwig's book and DVD set, always in the *top* of everything greywater. This is the manual recommended by the State of Wyoming. More on Wyoming below.

Burning Man - A camper's guide developed for this annual desert event.

UNICEF - Greywater Reuse in Rural Schools Guidance Manual. Great educational guide and other world view on the topic.

Watershed Management Group - Green Infrastructure for Southwestern Neighborhoods. A little information on greywater reuse. The manual is meant for neighborhood residents and professionals alike. Top tier schools on greywater literacy.

Wyoming Winter Greywater Manual - This design guide acknowledges some of the unique challenges facing greywater systems in Wyoming, particularly the Wyoming Winter Festival which lasts 364 days a year and extensive clayey soils leftover from climate change a few tens of millions of years ago. They also recognize that there are many great guides and manuals that are already available and provide extensive links, so why write another?

Pacific Institute - Not necessarily a manual, but a great summary of the state-of-the-grey in the world.

Geographies of Shit

2011-04-16T11:32:00.000-07:00

Provocative title, indeed, but not a Rainbow Water Coalition original. Rather, the title of an excellent article in Progress in Human Geography by Sarah Jewitt (see Geographies of shit: Spatial and temporal variations in attitudes towards human waste - doi:10.1177/0309132510394704). As quoted in her article, *we need to put the word shit into people's mouths* to enhance understandings of global sanitation problems - you know, those 2.6 billion lacking access to sanitation. Got my attention, and the attention of many other important water folks examining the WaSH arena like WaterWired.

This paper is important for many reasons, but what I found most interesting was Jewitt's discussion on *the deeply embedded taboos surrounding human waste and the environmental health problems resulting from a lack of effective excrement-management systems* in some of the most populated regions of the world. I found her discussion that some cultures tolerate the handling of shit (faecophilic) whereas other cultures find it *abhorrent* (faecophobic). She describes China and Vietnam as places that are *tolerant* of shit where *honey carts* remain common in unsewered residential areas (I always wondered where that term came from) and human feces are used to fertilize rice fields. Handling of human waste is taboo for many Hindus in India, by contrast; *untouchables* in India's caste system are responsible of disposing of human waste. The *hanging latrines* scene in the movie Slumdog Millionaire provides a good overview of this situation.

Westerners are familiar with the *flush and discharge* approach to dealing with human waste. But few westerners realize that this technology is only about 150 years old, and that the historic approach has been the *drop and store* systems. The outhouse, privy, the *hole in the floor* that I encountered in a public toilet in northern Peru 30 years ago. If only the rest of the world would adopt *our* technology, the water-sanitation nexus would be resolved, no? Jewitt's article indicates this is *unlikely to be affordable or environmentally sustainable* in the global South. The problem? Annual investments in the *flush and discharge* systems amount to US$30 billion. And then there is the issue of water shortages.

And we finally reach the connection to greywater. Jewitt's article reports that each person using a flush and discharge toilet typically flushes 5 liters of feces, 4 to 5,000 liters of urine and 15,000 liters of pure water per year. Add an additional 15,000 to 50,000 liters of greywater per person. The result? *...a very small amount of excrement is allowed to contaminate a huge amount of pure and 'grey' water*

So greywater reuse will reduce the amount of pure water contaminated by feces, that is obvious. What was not so obvious to me was this issue of faecophilia versus faecophobia and how these philosophies apply to when it comes to greywater reuse. Now it is clear to me that much of the FUDing about greywater reuse in Oregon more or less comes down to this personal value system rather than protecting the public.

Based on the increasing body of the literature of greywater reuse, the geography of greywater reuse in India is becoming more widespread, it appears that perhaps *value* systems can change with time and technology.

Jewitt's important article is available online, but should be available in the journal soon. It should be required reading for anyone interested in WaSH initiatives and sanitation issues in disadvantaged countries.

Geography is more than learning the locations of the countries and the capital cities. I am still learning that there is a *geography* of just about everything.

End-of-Life Greywater

2011-04-10T16:42:00.000-07:00

Greywater has taken on a whole new *life* of its own - as the by-product of the end-of-life. This article in the Boulder, Colorado newspaper, DailyCamera profiled a new way to deal with the issue of *disposing* of humans - the Coffin Spa developed by CycledLife.

*In the Coffin Spa, a body is submerged in an alkaline/water mixture that is pumped through the "coffin" and heated to 200 degrees Fahrenheit. After six to eight hours, the corpse is reduced to a brown liquid and a small pile of bone residue...The process has been around for nearly two decades, but has mostly been used to decompose animal carcasses and donated human cadavers. CycledLife for the first time brings the procedure to the nation's funeral homes*.

At first glance, this might sound like a farce, but read on...

*Alkaline hydrolysis advocates got a boost earlier this year when the Colorado Legislature passed a bill that makes "chemical methods" an accepted form of body disposition in the state. The measure, HB-1178, awaits the governor's signature*.

And the connection to greywater?

*Boulder resident Kari Alexander has plans to start up a green-focused pet disposition business called Eco-Pet Service. She placed an order for an alkaline hydrolysis device from CycledLife. She said she has already identified a Boulder County landowner who wants to use the gray water that will be generated in the decomposition process to enrich his pastureland. That should give comfort to environmentally conscious pet owners who don't want to contribute to global warming by cremating their dogs and cats, Alexander said*.

The conventional method of disposal of bodies filled with medications and pathogens can act as sources of groundwater contamination. Even though this process for disposition of human remains is environmentally friendly, I suspect the FUDing about greywater, especially the kitchensink greywater in Oregon, will *kill* this use of greywater in Oregon.

Has the CycledLife system invented a new color of water? The color of water jury is still out, but it is certain that a new definition of ghostwaters has been created.

The Colors of Covert Operations

2011-04-02T11:58:00.000-07:00

The Colors of Security (Terror Alert Levels) and the relationship to greywater have been previously posted here.

But what about the connection of covert operations to the colors of water you ask? Activities directly or indirectly associated with military covert operations usually end up in some way shape or form released to our nation's soil and groundwater, creating the type of *stew* that gets Erin Brockovich *all nerved up*. Think Department of Defense and Department of Energy legacy waste sites across the US.

Continuing the colors of stuff series (water, waste, carbon, data, security, and greywater), introducing the Colors of Covert Operations:

Black Ops - probably the color of covert operation that we hear most about since it is so expensive and the secret activity designed to "look for trouble" many times leads to not-so-secret failures. Also officially defined as *The activity engaged in appears to emanate from a source (government, party, group, organization, person) usually hostile in nature*. Think Rambo.

Grey Ops - defined as the true source (U.S. Government) is not revealed to the target audience, or in other words *kind of coming from the US, but not really*.

White Ops - in the eyes of intelligence, comes from the US so they can take credit for it. Also linked to coordinated protests, demonstrations, pamphlets, websites, or any number of standard ways to bring about social change or awareness when you read White Ops.

Red Ops - NSA government top computer hackers. Just when you thought your internet security program was up-to-date, think again.

Yellow Ops - a special forces watch, made by Luminox. Why would anyone wearing black clothing or camouflage wear one of these? But here you have it. Cheap at $300.

Purple Ops - a special operation by the NFL team Baltimore Ravens. "We’re going to have t-shirts and everything”. Go team! Go figure.

Green Ops - used by the Marine Corps, where the operation is reconnaissance, designed to collect any pertinent intelligence of military importance, observe, identify and report adversaries to commanders. Also the ultimate recycling project.

Blue Ops - used by the CIA in Afghanistan to *curry favor with chieftains*. Clearly an operation we are losing if we need to use pharmas to *win* the big one. I wish I created this color of covert operation, but it does not support diversity of use, so does not receive the RWC endorsement.

Pink Ops - is apparently not an officially designated color of covert operations unless one includes the pink submarine in the 1959 movie *Operation Petticoat*.

Top Fifteen Greywater Gadgets

2011-03-29T11:37:00.000-07:00

The Rainbow Water Coalition is now up to 160 postings, a far cry from blog junkies WaterWired and Aguanomics, but they have been at it a little longer, their portfolio of topics is far reaching, and I was inspired by their ability to *recycle* old postings in the form of *Flashbacks*.

Out of the 160 postings, 32 postings have profiled graywater gadgets of some form or another - some very expensive (in the thousands of dollars), most from the clever Australians, and a few *home grown*. I tried looking up what the global greywater gadget market might be, but was unable to come up with a value. But the fact that Cyprus recently got into the game with the Hydranos CYPROBELL® tells me that the greywater game is not pocket change.

In no particular order, the Rainbow Water Coalition Top 15 Greywater Gadgets.

The Puralytics Shield. A home-grown device developed in Oregon that incorporates the latest advances in nanotechnology and semiconductor LEDs to treat greywater. A good investment for The Oregon Way.

The Hughie Sink. The *Water Wonder from Down Under*. If you don't own one of these Australian devices, you are not really into water reuse. A Rainbow Water Coalition favorite for many reasons, but most inportantly, check out the awesome color options. A shout-out to Ian and his team for sending me a sampler pack.

Greywater Signage. Another Australian wonder. Meets and exceeds Oregon's Graywater Advisory Committee guidelines for posting. Very well made, and should withstand the Wyoming sign *target practice* test.

EULO Kitchensink. Source of Opalescentwater. Another Australian original. Should be standard equipment for any McMansion with granite kitchen counter tops.

JustWaterSaversUSA IrriGRAY Dripper Lines. Paul James and crew make the best. As a two-fer, check out his *Greatest Greywater Garden Manual* ever produced, featuring none other than the Rainbow Water Coalition *Geography of Graywater* map. (Hint to Paul - with Oklahoma on board with Vespawater, the map in your manual needs updating).

Oasis Design Laundary-to-Landscape Book and DVD. Fifth edition by the Greywater Guru himself, Art Ludwig. The fact that the State of Wyoming references this book in their education and outreach materials is testimony to making an impact, because the folks in Wyoming really don't care what other people think about what they do in Wyoming.

AQUS Greywater System by Sloan Valve Co. voted in the Top 10 Green Building Products for 2010 by Green Building Pro.

Gagnon Greywater *Mining* Gadget - Do it yourself heat recovery system at its finest. May be the best way to dodge the $50 Oregon greywater reuse tax.

Eco-Urinal by Yanko Design. It doesn't get much easier than this.

Hansgrohe’s Pontos AquaCycle. A German product that "...cleans domestic shower and bath water naturally using an organic, non-threatening biological technique". Lots of other EcoRight products, too.

Ozzi Kleen winner of the coveted Froggie award in Australia.

Ekokook Kitchen designed by an innovative and trendy French product design squad. No idea on price, but who cares - it is from France!

The Envirosink is a scary device that attaches to the kitchensink, to do the unthinkable in Oregon - recycle the kitchensink water. Regardless of the FUDing about the kitchensink, this product is a winner.

Ecoplay, now helping the UK with water shortages since it is the third most water-stressed country in Europe. Who knew? Also an important part of greywater literacy.

Rainbow Water Coalition Hat, a limited edition bonnet designed to show one's pride in the diversity in the colors of water (as well as the colors of carbon, waste, and data). Contact the Rainbow Water Coalition, if interested.

Getting Ekokooked

2011-03-26T08:15:00.000-07:00

Sexy news on greywater just does not exist in the same quantity as *other* water news celebrated by WaterWired or Aguanomics (happy *threes* - three years running, 3200 posts, and 160,000 visitors). And it has been awhile since a cool greywater gadget has been profiled. But check out this kitchen - the Ekokook. Not necessarily new news given that it was introduced last year, but the connection to greywater, even the dreaded kitchensink water, was overlooked by all of the other things this kitchen can do.

From Dezeen Magazine and Faltazi - the Ekokook Kitchen:

Three built-in micro-plants for three recycling functions. The kitchen is where most household wastes are produced. If waste management is to be effective at both the individual and the collective level, selection and processing must begin as soon as the waste product appears. When we are peeling carrots, for example, we should be able to dispose of peelings straight away by emptying them into the earth worm composter direct from the work surface. Similarly, when we wash salad leaves, we should be able to choose to save the water for watering household plants. Simple actions like these must be encouraged and made easy by adequate fittings. The same goes for the disposal of solid wastes.

Micro-plant 1
Solid wastes: selecting, processing, storage.

Solid wastes have no smell. This means that they can be kept longer, once their volume has been reduced to a minimum. On the scale of the city, this enables council trucks to collect waste less frequently, which means less cost for the community, less noise nuisance, and less atmospheric pollution. We have broken down the receptacle for solid wastes into five units for processing glass, paper, plastics, metals and miscellaneous waste. The volume of each unit corresponds to dimensions that suit an average family (two adults & two children). Units can be customized to suit user profiles and to interact with services offered by the community.

Micro-plant 2

Water cycle: use, collecting, recycling.

Inspired by real-size civil engineering works for controlling water, such as locks and dykes, which move masses of water for irrigation, we have built in a double sink for retention, with an intermediate reservoir situated below the sink and two pitchers that collect kitchen water that has no grease scum. This enables users to recycle clean water by using it to water household plants. The dishwasher and steam oven can also be filled with water kept in the intermediate reservoir.

Micro-plant 3
Processing & recycling organic wastes: the earth worm composter

My garbage bin is alive! As its name implies, the earth worm composter uses earth worms to break down organic wastes. All sorts of green wastes are produced in the kitchen: fruit and vegetable peelings, scrapings, left-overs, etc. This device aims at processing these wastes as close as possible to the place where they are produced – in the kitchen. Bringing real live earth worms into the kitchen calls for the design of a container to rationalize manipulation. It must be sealed, autonomous, and simple to manage. We propose a container unit in the form of a drum that rotates a notch day by day. Wastes shift gradually and as they are broken down and after three months maturing are sifted into a drawer as ‘lumbri’compost’. Liquid effluent drains into two pitchers. Diluted with ten parts water, it makes a rich liquid plant food ideal for indoor and outdoor plants.

No, Faltazi is not Australian, but a French design group. Many similarities to the EULO sink previously profiled on the Rainbow Water Coalition.

The Colors of Water jury is still out regarding if the Ekokook qualifies as inventing a new color of water. But Faltazi definitely qualifies for a limited edition Rainbow Water Coalition hat if they want one.

The Colors of Data

2011-03-21T00:35:00.000-07:00

The Rainbow Water Coalition is famous for its careful and thorough inventory of the colors of water. Past postings also documented the many colors of waste and the colors of carbon. And now we are learning about the many colors of data. This posting is not to be confused with Rainbow Data, the website design firm or Rainbow Data Systems, the concept of Rainbow storage which "...claims to use geometrical shapes such as triangles, circles and squares of various colors to store a large amount of data on ordinary paper or plastic surfaces", or the colors of data described in the Venn Diagram of Data Science.

How do the colors of data relate to the colors of water? This posting was inspried by this article that describes the importance of *grey* data in the search for *clearwater*. Grey data includes those many reports, tabulations, etc. of information that remains in paper form, and does not undergo the *rigors* of the *peer-review* process. As a former consultant in the engineering industry, I can attest to the incredible value of grey data in my work. Folks in the academies and government turn their noses up to the *grey* data, but few of them realize that those of us who worked for the private sector did not need to publish, nor did our clients necessarily want us to publish, our reports or share the data widely. There were many reasons for this position, most focusing on how the information may be used by conflict beneficiaries, sometimes against the very parties who paid for the data to be collected in the first place.

Black data - simply data in its purest form. Consider, for example, the *black box* - a device, system or object which can be viewed solely in terms of its input, output and transfer characteristics without any knowledge of its internal workings. Flight data recorders are the proverbial storage sites for black data stored in black boxes.

White data - The opposite of black data are the *peer-reviewed* data used to develop *white* papers, those handy authoritative reports or guides that help solve a problem. White papers are used to educate readers and help people make decisions, and are often requested and used in politics, policy, business, and technical fields. In commercial use, the term has also come to refer to documents used by businesses as a marketing or sales tool. Policy makers frequently request white papers from universities or academic personnel to inform policy developments. Not to be confused with the randomness of White Noise.

Blue data - data on a hard disk drive related to *Big Blue* the common reference to IBM. Sometimes blue data is the information such as weather forecasts, farmers' planting dates, and tide tables, containing tabular information in a particular field or fields often arranged according to the calendar, value of cars and other arcane items, as well as blue books for individual US states, citation guides for the legal field, or the data regurgitated in those dreaded books during a final exam.

Red data - data on the World Conservation Union's comprehensive list of endangered species.

Green data - data in which mechanical, lighting, electrical and computer systems are designed for maximum energy efficiency and minimum environmental impact.

Yellow data - Japanese company designed to communicate the Japanese soul and reverence for nature. No, I did not make this up.

Purple data - hard to track data, but apparently related to *purple prose* or exaggerated data. Or these wonderful *bits* of data.

Solving problems, regardless of whether they focus on waste, carbon, water, or data require the integration of a diverse portfolio of resources. Support diversity in all forms.

Texas STEMs Greywater Tide

2011-03-16T20:32:00.000-07:00

Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) award goes to.... Valle Verde Early College, who won with their business plan for a company called Grey Water Solutions, that would use gray water recycling for city parks and home irrigation systems, took first place in the competition against 14 other regional finalists. The competition is sponsored by Workforce Solutions Upper Rio Grande, Bi-national Sustainability Laboratory, UTEP’s Colleges of Engineering and Business, Innovate El Paso, Collegiate Entrepreneurs’ Organization, SCORE and Connect a Million Minds. Each member of the Valle Verde team received $400 and a trophy. Courage to believe, desire to achieve! Go Spartans!

How Many Colors of Water?

2011-03-15T05:53:00.000-07:00

A statistician at Flowing Data reports that "...in 1903, Crayola had eight colors in its standard package...today, there are 120..."

So, the Rainbow Water Coalition has alot of work to do to find the rest of the colors of water lurking around out there.

Share yours.

Greyvolutions - Grey is New Green

2011-03-12T11:25:00.000-08:00

More and more we are seeing students from across grade levels and across the world integrating greywater reuse projects into their school projects. Take, for example, this student competition in British Columbia as described in this article by bclocalnews.com, where a seventh grader snagged a Silver Medal for her greywater reuse project, but also was awarded the Naturalist Club Award for a project most relevant to natural history conservation.

Students in Israel challenged the conventional wisdom on the safety of greywater to win a chance to visit Stockholm with their project. The James Dyson Award for Australian Design has gone to many students with greywater projects, like this incredible toilet and shower-powered greywater diverter. And then there is the National Science Foundation awarding the University of California - Berkeley for their innovative greywater disinfection plan.

The future of water reuse looks nothing like the past. Greyvolutions are already underway.

World Plumbing Day

2011-03-11T00:01:00.000-08:00

March 11, every year, everywhere. The World Plumbing Council invites the world to celebrate the importance of plumbing to world health. A YouTube Video, poster contest, the opportunities to celebrate just go on and on. And green building technology and their poor child *greywater* owes much to the dedication of the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO).

The Rainbow Water Coalition's tribute to World Plumbing Day? A painted ceramic of a *plumber* purchased this past year in Gubbio, Italy, famous for the funivia, the palio, and the *Gubbio layer* - a sedimentary layer enriched in iridium exposed by a roadcut outside of town that marks the boundary between the Cretaceous and Tertiary geological periods roughly 65 million years ago.

So, go hug a plumber. And back off from the *crack* jokes for just one day.

OK Okays Greywater & New Color of Water?

2011-03-10T08:25:00.000-08:00

Another state joins the ranks of greywater friendly states in the US. According to this article in the Oklahoma newspaper Bixby Bulletin:

House Bill 1575, by state Rep. Scott Martin, defines gray water as untreated household wastewater that has not come in contact with toilet waste or water from a kitchen sink. The legislation directs the Department of Environmental Quality to exempt private residential gray water reuse systems that meet a series of rules including that they make use of less than 250 gallons of gray water per day. A gray water system would be used for gardening, composting or landscape irrigation.

Gray water systems that would be exempt would have to:

provide for overflow into the sewer or on-site wastewater treatment and disposal system;
include cover for any gray water storage tank to avoid the creation of a habitat for mosquitoes and other insects;
be located outside of a floodway and five feet above the groundwater table;
clearly identify gray water pressure piping as a non-potable water conduit;
be used on site and not run off the property;
minimize the potential for contact with people or domestic pets;
minimize standing water and ensure the hydraulic capacity of the soil is not exceeded;
avoid spraying or discharge into a waterway; and
be in compliance with municipal or county ordinances.

Martin noted that gray water systems could incorporate the use of rain water. That is big news as some states, like nearby Colorado, are very restrictive on rainwater harvesting. Mixing of greywater with greenwater? Been there before when the Italians had gallons of green paint and grey paint left over from WWII. The result? Vespawater!

“Water is quickly becoming the new oil,” Scott Martin, R-Norman. That is saying alot because Oklahoma is one of the US states that is addicted to oil for state revenues. Is Rep. Martin implying that water is important to Oklahoma's economy?

WaterWired looked at how Oklahoma is doing their water planning, and the answer is YES. And they recently opened the Oklahoma Water Survey - which the Rainbow Water Coalition thinks is a first in the US.

With all colors of water, it appears the Sooner way is the better way.

Mind the Bin, Redux

2011-03-07T14:03:00.000-08:00

This tragic story about an Australian child drowning in a bucket left for a pet reminds the Rainbow Water Coalition of a previous posting about a near miss with a four-year old almost drowning in a bin used for greywater storage.

Save water, but save your child first. In the spirit of minding the *gap* when using the London Underground - Mind the Bin!

Cowabunga Cocoa Beach!

2011-03-05T04:27:00.000-08:00

This article in Florida Today describes the unthinkable -injecting treated wastewater in a well in Cocoa Beach, Florida for later recovery using Aquifer Storage and Recovery methods. Why are they proposing such a radical crazy idea? Because "...the city must find a way to dispose of excess treated water instead of disposing of it in the Banana River. The city is under pressure from the state to reduce the amount of water it's permitted to dump into the river". Recalling the Groan Zone described in previous postings, not everyone was happy with the proposed approach, but those in favor had pretty compelling reasons.

"Why can't we make more general use of the gray water system, for such things as washing cars?" resident Tim Kingaby asked the panel of engineers and geologists. "In 20 years we're going to be fighting over water. It won't be oil."

This approach to water reuse is not new. Recall Sapphirewater invented by the Australians. They were experimenting with managed recharge of stormwater that was naturally treated underground for later recovery. We are seeing something very similar in Umatilla County, Oregon where there are experiments underway using Columbia River water for managed recharge of a shallow aquifer for underground storage and later recovery as described here and here.

Could this happen in the hydroconservative parts of Oregon such as the Willamette Valley? Maybe so. I suggested this idea to the City of Corvallis who is considering whether or not to either reuse an old gravel pit to dispose of their treated wastewater for cooling prior to discharge to the Willamette River, or reuse the treated wastewater for growing fodder at the OSU Dairy and perhaps managed recharge of the shallow aquifer underlying the City. A Rainbow Water Coalition exclusive is this hand drawn diagram of the local geology where the Dairy would be the potential area of reuse (copyright reserved). The Fischer Pit would be the reused gravel pit. Either approach discharges water to the shallow aquifer before ultimately discharging to the Willamette River - the regional hydraulic sink.

Perhaps another Groan Zone situation as the debate focuses on what is really reused - a gravel pit or the water? Or perhaps another opportunity for Oregon to continue to lead the nation in creative applications of managed recharge and Aquifer Storage and Recovery since the state already has many permitted sites for managed recharge, just not using stormwater or treated wastewater.

So Cowabunga hydrodudes! This cross-continental aqua-reuse party could be awesome! Or the aqua-reuse party could become an awesome political melodrama.

"If you believe, as the Greeks did, that man is at the mercy of the gods, then you write tragedy. The end is inevitable from the beginning. But if you believe that man can solve his own problems and is at nobody's mercy, then you will probably write melodrama".
~ American Dramatist Lillian Hellman

Greywater & Intelligent Cities

2011-03-03T08:17:00.000-08:00

Time Magazine released their list of Intelligent Cities. Tucson, Arizona made the list due to greywater reuse!

Nope, Portland did not make the fabled list of intelligent cities even with the bike paths, skateparks, and associated highly paid transportation director who has no transportation experience, or the ongoing public review of Oregon's Graywater rules.

There is always next year.

Greywater Animoto

2011-02-26T15:28:00.000-08:00

A new way to share the love...

Create your own video slideshow at animoto.com.

Top 7 Greywater Literacy Schools

2011-02-25T11:53:00.000-08:00

Greywater reuse literacy was previously discussed on the Rainbow Water Coalition here and here where Z6 focused on ZERO IGNORANCE as a living building company recognized the importance of education and outreach so their customers would *make better lifestyle choices that impact their resource use*.

Where does one go to get *greywater literacy*? The top *schools* offering training in this important field include the following:

1. Water Management Group - This Tucson, AZ-based program regularly offers certification programs and was previously blogged about here. Offering beginning and advanced training on a regular basis, including in March, 2011. This looks to be the PhD of greywater literacy and they even offer scholarships. When I grow up, I hope to attend this training.

2. Greywater Action - Laura Allen declares war on greywater and rainwater illiteracy with her frequent workshops. Many upcoming opportunities to get smart on greywater reuse in the backyard and the famous Laundry-to-Landscape program developed by the Greywater Guru, Art Ludwig. Greywater Action goes beyond greywater and is a resource on composting toilets. Laura is serious business - she is the first Google TechTalk which can be viewed on the sideboard of the Rainbow Water Coalition.

3. Greywater Corps - Greywater Rambo Leigh Jerrard designs, installs, and educates the world on greywater. He is so generous with his time that he offers some *free* workshops also using the Laundry-to-Landscape theme. So "buck up" and get ready to do 20 pushups!

4. Green Gardener Program - Monterey Bay Green Gardener Certification Program Classes are offered in English and Spanish at the Salinas, Monterey, Watsonville, and Santa Cruz Adult Schools. A complete curriculum in sustainable gardening and irrigation. Monterey Bay? How can one go wrong at this incredibly beautiful location.

5. Solar Living Institute - Hosted by the Laytonville Ecovillage in Laytonville, California. For $120, learn about designing successful greywater systems, installing systems with common household plumbing, choosing appropriate greywater plants, and legal and practical considerations for greywater reuse on July 9 and 10, 2011.

6. Stephenson College (UK) - This training course is designed to provide installers with all the skills and knowledge required to correctly design and install rainwater harvesting and grey water recycling systems. The package comprises pre-reading of training/reference manual and attendance at a two day practical training course and completion of a practical and written assessment. Nearby Gateshead College will also be offering comparable coursework once their new extension is finished.

7. Able Skills (UK) - Another two day BPEC accredited training course for rainwater and greywater harvesting to meet the needs and demands of the renewable industry using the latest Polypipe rainwater rig and the award winning Ecoplay greywater gadget. The course is aimed at plumbers, heating engineers and ground work engineers who are looking to diversify in to this market. The code for sustainable homes is helping drive an increase in these water saving installations, especially in the new and self build markets.

Given that few Oregon-based Professional Engineers, Registered Geologists, and Registered Environmental Health Specialists have the education or expertise to design greywater systems as outlined in the Oregon Graywater Advisory Committee recommendations, they can no longer lean on their professional credentials to *protect the public*. There are now ZERO reasons for ignorance on greywater reuse systems.

Blackwater is a Killer

2011-02-21T03:59:00.000-08:00

Although the international news frequently references the defense contractor formerly connected with this color of water and their questionable activities in the Middle East and nearby locations, the Rainbow Water Coalition is more interested in the blackwater event in the Murray-Darling Basin in Australia which made the news for a largescale fish killing. According to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation:

Blackwater occurs when organic material such as leaves and bark is washed into the river by flood. The high organic content removes oxygen from the water and leads to deaths of some fish and other river life. Andrew Beale from the Water Department said it was a legacy of prolonged drought in recent years. "It's very large, it's about 1,400 kilometres long we estimate now, so it's something that's going to be with us for some time," he said. "This is a big one, but it's a perfectly natural phenomenon and we've dealt with these blackwater events in the past. "We've been in close contact with the Murray-Darling (Basin) Authority and the upstream jurisdictions as the events developed and travelled towards South Australia."

It appears that the colors of water are now also connected to climate change. And yet another color of water linked to the Australians who know how to navigate through just about the entire spectrum of water challenges.

The more times blackwater is encountered, the more times it is certain to kill.

"What you do not want done to yourself, do not do to others".
~ Confucius

Achtung - Great New German Greywater Gadget

2011-02-19T08:53:00.000-08:00

Germany-based Hansgrohe, designer and manufacturer of innovative bathroom fixtures, is now in the greywater gadget game, and big time. Check out this trendy video introducing Hansgrohe's Pontos: Recycling Grey Water System for Double Use

Compact water recycling systems are now available for commercial or residential applications with Hansgrohe’s Pontos AquaCycle. The product range includes systems with a reprocessing capacity of between 237 to 3,300 gallons of water per day, giving AquaCycle systems the adaptability to work in projects ranging from apartment complexes to hotels. The roughly cabinet-sized basic model cleans domestic shower and bath water naturally using an organic, non-threatening biological technique. The hygienically clean water, or gray water, can then be used to do the laundry, water the garden, clean the house and flush the toilet.

Pontos Aquacycle is not yet available in the US and will probably never be available in Oregon because the greywater could be *discharged* at the ground surface instead of underground as shown in the video.

Hansgrohe has many other EcoRight water saving products, too.

Greywater was a star in Italy, Australia, Germany and Japan before the Americans ever paid attention at all.

- Apologies to Nancy Sinatra

Canadians Catching the Wave

2011-02-13T05:53:00.000-08:00

Canadian-based IDUS Controls, Ltd. recently announced their home greywater recycling system. The Canadian designed greywater gadget is the Conservepump™, which "...mounts on the wall of a utility space and is easily integrated into existing plumbing, shower and toilet fixtures". No, unlike the EULO, this baby only reuses the bath and shower grey water to flush the toilet.

What is the significance of the Conservepump™? First, finally the clever Australians have some, albeit minor, competition when it comes to greywater gadgets. Second, the IDUS is based in British Columbia, not exactly a place that is shy of water, but an area that realizes the worth of water, and the growing market wave for greywater reuse equipment. Recall that Brac Systems used in Oregon public buildings is another Canadian greywater gadget.

It is just a matter of time before the Canadians invent a new color of water.

"Australia and Canada were settled by adventurers, they had to break new ground. I think that is indelibly etched on our cultural spirit" Canadian musician Tom Cochrane

Eulogizing the Kitchensink

2011-02-05T09:00:00.000-08:00

Australian designer extraordinaire James Dyson of the Dyson Vacuum Cleaner fame sponsors a product design competition in Australia and the entries for various products are nothing short of phenomenal. Yes, greywater gadgets abound, and the Rainbow Water Coalition will start the cavalcade of winners with the EULO Greywater Recycling Kitchensink.

From the product description developed by the student who designed the EULO:

EULO is the future thinking of sustainable products for the home.
The innovative design enables instant grey water recycling for reuse whilst washing dishes in the home kitchen.
EULO means constant rinsing without the water waste.
Featuring three levels of inbuilt filtration, a primary particle strainer, a gravity activated carbon filter and a UV sanitiser. It also includes automatic detergent mixing and an entirely fresh water tap.
EULO is a complete system that redefines the function of the domestic kitchen sink.
With drought and the cost of water set to increase, EULO sets the benchmark of sophisticated and sustainable H20 products.

For those FUDers out there in greywater reuse land, note that the EULO recycles ONLY the kitchensink water. This is big news for those who FUD kitchesink water because it is not *mixed* with other household greywater; it stays with the sink. And that the water stays inside the house, it more than likely won't need one of the $50 per year permits that Oregon is proposing to reuse greywater.

EULO is invisaged as a future thinking sustainable product, however is entirely feasible at present as manufacturing costs are estimated at $1800 for the complete system to be sold to the consumer at $3000. This is very competitive in the higher end sink market considering EULO is a complete package.

If Eulo rings a bell, it might be due to Eulo, Queensland, Australia, famous for opal gemstones. Mix the ingenuity of the clever Australians with a unique approach to reusing greywater and voilà, a new color of water! Introducing Opalescentwater - recycled kitchensink water. Not to be confused with Opaline water, a variant of clearwater manufactured by Veolia, the global water services company.

The EULO sink is as beautiful as the Opalescent Spring in Yellowstone National Park. This greywater gadget is a jewel.

Greywater - Energy Nexus

2011-02-01T00:04:00.000-08:00

Much has been written about the connection between energy development and water use. WaterWired has done an admirable job apprising the water world of the connection. Few think of greywater as a source of energy, but check out this American-designed and manufactured energy recovery system where Bob Gagnon Plumbing and Heating boasts apparently recovering "...about 1/3 of the heat from my shower water before it goes to the sewer using my Grey Water Tank".

Here is how Bob describes the system on Heating Help:

It's piped like this except that the incoming cold also goes through 200" of 1" pex attached to the outside of the tank. In the winter the incoming cold water is 36 degrees, it flows through the pex wrapped around the tank and picks up about 10 to 15 degrees, it when flows through a submersed coil where 105 degree water from my shower pours over the submersed coil and the cold water is pre heated another 10 to 15 degrees to about 66 degrees or one third of the temp rise needed for domestic hot water. The incoming cold water is heated to about 60 degrees when the shower is not running. It may not sound like much , but sending 66 degree water to my solar tank is a whole lot better than sending 36 degree water to it during the winter with the shorter, weaker sun.

Finally, not all of the clever greywater reuse ideas come from the Australians!

For those in the category of the *angry public* in Oregon, consider that the energy recovery from your greywater system may qualify for an energy tax credit. Check out the Oregon Department of Energy, under Wastewater Heat Recovery Systems. Depending on the *system* recovery, one might qualify for a tax credit ranging from $80 to $135. And if one carefully reads the Tax Credit Eligibility Criteria for Residential Energy Devices, specifically the definition of “Net Cost” -- The applicant’s cost for the design, acquisition, construction, installation, permitting and inspection of an AED. Net cost may include the value of federal tax credits or utility incentives. Net cost does not include service contracts, rebates, or refunds. See 330-070-0013(46) to learn more.

So, the $50 annual fee that the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality proposes for graywater reuse may actually be eligible for a tax credit! Disclaimer (fine print): the Rainbow Water Coalition is not qualified to be a tax advisor or to provide legal advice on the interpretation of Oregon's tax laws, so please contact your tax advisor and lawyer for more information and tax advice.

Don't be angry about the $50 annual permit fee, be happy because it might be subsidized! Now one can enjoy a very good quality bottle of Oregon Pinot Noir with their greywater reuse *savings*. And instead of recycling the bottle, stick a candle in the top to claim even more energy savings.

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