Greywater or Gray Water System Codes

Regulations & Standards for Gray Water Systems

Graywater system regulations:

This article gives links to standards, codes & regulations for gray water systems.

This article series defines and explains the disposition of greywater, a type of wastewater.

Greywater is wastewater which does not contain sewage, typically coming from building sinks, showers, and laundry facilities. Graywater systems can reduce the load on or size of a septic system, and gray water separation, filtration, storage, and piping systems can conserve water, for recycling for various uses such as flushing toilets, landscaping, or irrigation.

Grey Water System Codes & Regulations

[Click to enlarge any image]

U.S. State Graywater System Regulations

Also use your browser's on-page search function [ Ctrl-F ] to search our directory by zipcode, city, or inspector's name

AK  AL  -  AR  -  AZ  -  CA  -  CO  -  CT  -  DC  -  DE  -  FL  -  GA  -  HI  -  IA  -  ID  -  IL  -  IN  -  KS  -  KY  -  LA  -  MA  -  MD  -  ME  -  MI  -  MN  -  MO  -  MS  -  MT  -  NC  -  ND  -  NE  -  NH  -  NM  -  NV  -  NJ  -  NY  -  OH  -  OK  -  OR  -  PA  -  RI  -  SC  -  SD  -  TN  -  TX  -  UT  -  VA  -  VT  -  WA  -  WI  -  WV  -  WY

CANADA - separate directory

• Alaska Alabama Arkansas
  
• Arizona graywater regulations:
  • ARIZONA GREY WATER REGULATIONS: [PDF] web search 01/24/2011, original source: http://www.azsos.gov/Public_services/Title_18/18-09.htm
    Also see
    Gelt, J. 2007. Home use of graywater, rainwater conserves water—and may save money. University of Arizona Water Resources Research Center. http://ag.arizona.edu/AZWATER/arroyo/071rain.html
• California gray water code
  • CALIFORNIA DRY WELLS USE REGULATIONS GUIDELINES [PDF] retrieved 2017/05/30, original source: http://www.waterboards.ca.gov/board_reference/2014fall/docs/dry_wells_fs.pdf
  • CALIFORNIA GRAYWATER REGULATIONS: web search 01/24/2011, original source: http://www.hcd.ca.gov/codes/shl/2007CPC_Graywater_Complete_2-2-10.pdf.
    Adaptign and quoting from the Certificate of Compliance with Final Express Terms Filed with the Secretary of State on January 27, 2010 [http://www.hcd.ca.gov/codes/shl/2007CPC_Graywater_Complete_2-2-10.pdf],
    
    Chapter 16A of the California Plumbing Code establishes the minimum requirements for the installation of graywater systems in occupancies regulated by the Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD). It is intended to provide guideance to code users while providing flexibility to encourage the use of graywater.
    
    This chapter contains provisions which allow the installation of limited types of graywater systems to be installed without a construction permit. It is not the intent of HCD that the exemption from a construction permit be construed by code users as an exemption from the provisions of this chapter or any other lawfully enacted requirements imposed by a city, county, or city and county, nor does it eliminate the need for persons considering the installation of a graywater system from contacting local authorities to ensure that they are adequately informed about any local requirements or prohibitions.
    
    To READ THE PDFs listed below and then RETURN HERE, USE THE BACK ARROW OF YOUR BROWSER
  • 2016 California, Title 24, Part 5, Chapter 16A, Part I - Non potable Water Reuse System, [PDF] California Graywater Re-Use Code, retrieved 2017/08/02, original source: https://www.documents.dgs.ca.gov/bsc/2016InterCycle/1-Precycle%20Activities/AB-2282Workshop3/BSC-ET-Pt5-AB-2282.pdf
  • CALIFORNIA GRAYWATER SYSTEM CODE 2007 [PDF] CPC, Title 24, Part 5, Chapter 16A, Part I - Non potable Water Reuse System, retrieved 2017/08/02, original source: http://www.hcd.ca.gov/building-standards/building-code/docs/Preface_ET_Emergency_Graywater.pdf
  • CALIFORNIA GRAYWATER GUIDE [PDF] California state government, retrieved 2018/09/02, original source: https://water.ca.gov/LegacyFiles/wateruseefficiency/docs/graywater_guide_book.pdf
    Excerpts:
    Graywater is untreated household waste water which has not come into contact with toilet waste. Includes: used water from bathtubs, showers, bathroom wash basins, and water from clothes washing machines and laundry tubs. Does not include: waste water from kitchen sinks, dishwashers, or laundry water from soiled diapers.
    
    California's Graywater Standards are now part of the State Plumbing Code, making it legal to use graywater everywhere in California. These standards were developed and adopted in response to Assembly Bill 3518, the Graywater Systems for Single Family Residences Act of 1992.
    
    This Guide was prepared to help homeowners and landscape and plumbing contractors understand the Graywater Standards and to help them design, install and maintain graywater systems. Carlos Madrid Chief, Division of Local Assistance
  • CALIFORNIA GRAYWATER USES ALLOWED [PDF], San Diego Califorinia Water Authority, CA, retrieved 2018/09/02, original source: https://www.sdcwa.org/sites/default/files/files/water-management/recycled/uses-of-recycled-water-new.pdf
  • CALIFORNIA GRAYWATER FACT SHEET [PDF] San Diego County Water Authority, California, retrieved 2018/09/02, original source: https://www.sdcwa.org/sites/default/files/graywater_guidelines.pdf
    Excerpts:
    How can I use Graywater? ow can I use Graywater? Graywater can be used to irrigate landscaping and plants but not on root crops or edible parts of food crops. Irrigati on lines can be either drip or leach systems and the discharge point must be covered by at least two (2) inches of mulch, rock, soil, or a solid shield to minimize the possibility of contact with humans and domesti c pets.
    
    Be aware that some soaps and detergents can contain a variety of chemicals to aid in cleaning that may be harmful to your plants. Avoid soaps with chlorine or bleach, peroxygen, sodium perborate, sodium trypochorite, boron, borax, petroleum disti llate, alkylbenze, “whiteners”, “soft eners”, and enzymati c components. Please contact a reputable landscape specialist for more information.
    
    What regulations should I know about?
    
    What regulations should I know about? On January 27, 2010, the State of California fi nalized the graywater regulati ons for Chapter 16A “Nonpotable Water Reuse Systems” into the 2007 California Plumbing Code (CPC). The emergency graywater regulati ons were enacted to help residents of California conserve water by facilitati ng greater reuse of laundry, shower water, and similar sources for irrigati on.
    
    In addition, by making legal compliance easy, the State hopes to reduce the number of non-compliant graywater systems. Your graywater system must comply with the 2007 CPC and other codes enacted by your local municipality or water purveyor.
  • CALIFORNIA REVISED GRAYWATER STANDARDS [PDF] (1997) California State Government, retrieved 2018/09/02, original source: https://water.ca.gov/LegacyFiles/wateruseefficiency/docs/Revised_Graywater_Standards.pdf
    This is an historical document that contains useful graywater system design information and drawings
  • Finding of Emergency for Proposed Building Standards of the Department of Housing and Community Development regarding the 2007 California Plumbing Code (CPC), California Code of Regulations Title 24, Part 5 (Graywater Standards). [State of emergency in California in 2009 due to drought conditions]
  • Initial Statement of Reasons for Proposed Emergency Building Standards of the Department of Housing and Community Development regarding the 2007 California Plumbing Code (CPC), California Code of Regulations Title 24, Part 5 (Graywater Standards)
  • Nine-Point Criteria Analysis of Proposed Emergency Building Standards of the Department of Housing and Community Development Regarding the 2007 California Plumbing Code (CPC), California Code of Regulations Title 24, Part 5, Chapter 15A, Part 1 (Graywater Standards). Nine points that define the process of approval of building standards submitted to the CA Building Standards Commission.
  • California Plumbing Code Chapter 16-A - Nonpotable Water Reuse Systems, Part I, Graywater Systems, Matrix Adoption Table
• Colorado: Graywater Design Suggestions: water.state.co.us/pubs/policies/waterharvesting.pdf discusses rainwater harvesting and graywater systems in Colorado
• Connecticut
• District of Columbia
• Delaware
• Florida Gray Water Regulations
  • FLORIDA GRAYWATER REGULATIONS, [PDF] References, & Building Codes:
  • Florida Building Code. 2007. Florida Building Code: Plumbing, Effective March 1, 2009. http://www.floridabuilding.org/
  • Florida Building Code. 2009. 2009 Supplement to the 2007 Florida Building Code, Effective March 1, 2009. http://www.floridabuilding.org/
  • Florida Department of Health. 2006. Chapter 64E-6, Florida Administrative Code, Standards for Onsite Sewage Treatment and Disposal Systems, [Large PDF] web search 01/24/2011, original source: http://www.doh.state.fl.us/ENVIRONMENT/OSTDS/pdfiles/forms/64e6.pdf
  • Florida Wastewater Processing & Conservation Practices, Jake Emerson, University of Florida, web search 01/24/2011, original source: www.cce.ufl.edu/wastewater
• Georgia Hawaii Iowa Idaho Illinois Indiana Kansas Kentucky Maryland Maine
• Louisiana Grawater Regulations, Contact the Louisiana DEQ at www.deq.louisiana.gov
• Massachusetts Graywater Regulations: In MA, Greywater is subject to the following (310 CMR 15.262):
  • Allows greywater systems for new construction: residential facilities need to demonstrate that a fully complying system can be installed.
  • Reduces the septic tank size to 1000 gallons for residential systems. Septic tanks for commercial and public facilities shall be at least two thirds the size of a septic tank based on the design flows presented in 310 CMR 15.203. An effluent filter system specifically approved by MassDEP and/or the State Board of Plumbers and Gas Fitters for this use may be used in place of the septic tank.
  • Greywater systems for new construction or increase in flows must comply with the nitrogen loading requirements of 440 gallons per acre.
  • Provides an allowable nitrogen loading rate for residential facilities of 660 gallons per acre and up to 770 gallons per acre on a case-by-case as determined by the Department for commercial and public facilities provided there is no discharge of blackwater and the compost is disposed off-site.
  • Allows a 50% reduction in the SAS when a composting toilet is used.
  • Requires nine inches of cover over the SAS.
  • For remedial upgrades the groundwater separation may be reduced to 2 feet where the percolation rate is greater than 2 mpi or 3 feet where the percolation rate is 2 mpi or less.
  • Source: Retrieved 5/15/14, original source: http://www.mass.gov/eea/agencies/massdep/water/wastewater/ regulatory-provisions-for-compost-toilets-and-greywater.html
    Massachusetts also regulates the use of humus / composting toilets
• Michigan
• Minnesota statuyes on Graywater: See Minnesota Statutes:
  • Mionnesota Rules 7080.2204 Graywater Systems found in Minnesota Rules, Chapters 7080-7083, Subsurface Sewage Treatment Programs, Chapter 7080 Minnesota Pollution Control Agency Design Standards for .... Graywater Systems - beginning on p. 54
  • Minnesota Section 97A.015, Chapter 97A Game and Fish (2013 and earlier)
  • Minnesota 115.59 Advanced Treatment Systems
• Missouri Mississippi Montana
• New Jersey Graywater & Drywell Regulations
  • NEW JERSEY DRY WELL REGULATIONS 9.3 (stormwater) [PDF]
  • NEW JERSEY DRYWELL STANDARD 9.3 [PDF] retrieved 2017/05/30, original source: http://www.nj.gov/dep/stormwater/bmp_manual/NJ_SWBMP_9.3%20print.pdf
  • NEW JERSEY STORMWATER BEST PRACTICES MANUAL [PDF], retrieved 2017/05/30, original source: http://www.nj.gov/dep/stormwater/bmp_manual/NJ_SWBMP_9.3%20print.pdf
  • NEW JERSEY WELL CONSTRUCTION, MAINTENANCE, SEAL ABANDONED WELLS [PDF] retrieved 2017/05/30, original source: http://www.nj.gov/dep/rules/rules/njac7_9d.pdf
• New Mexico Gray Water Regulations
  • NEW MEXICO GRAYWATER REGULATIONS [PDF]
• New Mexico Gray Water Guide, http://www.ose.state.nm.us/water-info/conservation/pdf-manuals/NewMexGWGuide.pdf - NOTE: this is a particularly helpful document, recommended reading - Ed.
• web search 01/24/2011, original source: http://www.nmlegis.gov/Sessions/05%20Regular/bills/house/HB0711.pdf
• New York Gray water regulations:
  • "Potentia! Reuses Greywater and Recfaimed IYastewaler in New York State
    issued pursuant to Chapter 619 of the Laws of 2005", (2010) http://www.dec.ny.gov/docs/water_pdf/waterresue.pdf
  • McCabe, Shane, "Breaking Down Policy Barriers for Residential Graywaer Installation and Usage in New York City", Pratt Institute/PSPD Environmental Systems Management Capstone, (2013) http://prattpspd.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/McCabeShane_GreywaterCapstone.pdf
• North Carolina North Dakota Nebraska New Hampshire Nevada Ohio Okalahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island
• South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee
• Texas graywater codes
  • TEXAS GREYWATER REGULATIONS: Texas Health & Safety Code - Section 341.039. Graywater Standards, web search 01/24/2011, original source: http://law.onecle.com/texas/health/341.039.00.html
• Utah: Graywater Systems Design Standards: "R317. Environmental Quality, Water Quality. Rule R317-401. Graywater Systems. As in effect on April 1, 2014", www.rules.utah.gov/publicat/code/r317/r317-401.htm
• Vermont
• Virginia Graywater Guidelines: a permit issued by the Virginia State Health Commissioner must be obtained before installing and using a gray water system, submitted through your local health department.
  
  Virginia law ENV-663, Gray Water Guidelines, February 1999,
  §32.1-248.2 can be read at https://www.vdh.virginia.gov/EnvironmentalHealth/ONSITE/regulations/FormsDocs/documents/2010/ pdfs/Graywater%20Use%20guidelines%20by%20VDH_feb99.pdf
• Washington State Graywater Systems Regulations:
  • The whole Washington State Graywater Regulation law is at
    http://apps.leg.wa.gov/WAC/default.aspx?cite=246-274&full=true
  • Also see this Washington State graywater study:
    http://www.doh.wa.gov/Portals/1/Documents/Pubs/337-108.pdf
• Wisconsin West Virginia Wyoming

Graywater System Products, Greywater Diversion Systems, Pumps, Tanks, Books and Design Specifications For Graywater Systems

• BUY GREYWATER BOOKS ONLINE
• Create An Oasis with Greywater, Art Ludwig. Also see Ludwig's "Branched Drain Greywater Systems" and his "Building Professional's Greywater Guide".
• Greywater Recycling Kits & Equipment from The Natural Home Building Source: http://www.thenaturalhome.com/greywater.html
• Graywater Central - online web with design information http://www.graywater.net/
• Access Water Energy, PO Box 2061, Moorabbin, VIC 3189, Australia, Tel: 1300 797 758, email: sales@accesswater.com.au Moorabbin Office: Kingston Trade Centre, 100 Cochranes Rd, Moorabbin, VIC 3189
  
  Australian supplier of: Greywater systems, Solar power to grid packages, Edwards solar systems, Vulcan compact solar systems, water & solar system pumps & controls, and a wide rage of above ground & under ground water storage tanks: concrete, steel, plastic, modular, and bladder storage tanks.
• Aqua2use Grey Water System (GWDD), Water Wise Group, Inc., 1580 Granache Way, Templeton, CA 93465, Phone: (805) 468-4920 Remy Sabiani - remy@waterwisegroup.com
• Eco John describes two incinerating toilet models: EcoJohn Sr - "A highly efficient, waterless toilet that incinerates the waste with propane. This is a toilet that is ideal for cabins, pool houses, guest rooms, or other remote areas where a conventional toilet is not available or too costly to install."
  
  and EcoJohn Jr Pr1 System "
  
  This is a new revolutionary system that incinerates gray/black water from a holding tank. This system is perfect in areas where a water toilet is needed, but pumping out the waste is problematic or too costly." This grey water and waterless toilet system that includes an incinerator for graywater that marries with a low-water toilet, the the EcoJohn Jr which is includes a sewage and graywater incinerating unit. The EcoJohn Jr. uses a low-flush toilet (not a waterless toilet). This is an incinerating unit not a composting toilet and not a chemical toilet system.
  
  Also see TOILETS, WATERLESS ALTERNATIVES

• FLOTENDER GREYWATER IRRIGATION SYSTEMS- We manufacture greywater irrigation systems. Contact information is given below at GreyLink. Quoting the company's product description:
  
  Flotender is designed for one or two zone irrigation systems where a portion of the landscape is to be irrigated with greywater. Flotender and GreyLink include nearly identical greywater processors with the only difference being the omission of an auto-fill sensor in the Flotender models.

Image at left illlustrates GreyLink's self-cleaning greywater filter. [Click to enlarge any image]

• GREYLINK GREYWATER IRRIGATION SYSTEMS - quoting from the company's website:
  
  GreyLink is the "whole landscape greywater irrigation solution." GreyLink's integrated feature set provides advanced reporting and precise control over the irrigation system while delivering substantial water savings. GreyLink is best utilized when the goal is to utilize greywater on an entire medium to large sized landscape.
  
  
  • Filtrific Water Feature Equipment & Greylink Greywater Irrigation Systems
  • GreyLink™ by Filtrific®, 13212 NE 16th St., Suite 101, Bellevue, WA 98005
  • Tel: 800.906.0604 - Fax: 425.482.9559
  • Email: support@greylinksystem.com
  • Website: http://www.filtrific.com
  • Website: http://www.greylinksystem.com
  • Website: http://www.flotender.com

• CLIVIS MULTRUM greywater systems use a holding chamber, effluent pump, and an onsite irrigation chamber (see our Gravelless septic system components information) to dispose of graywater.
  
  The sketch of a greywater handling and disposal system shown here is from the Clivus Multrum website where more details of system operation are provided. Where soil conditions and site space permit onsite graywater disposal this system design can significantly reduce the wastewater load on the septic or "blackwater" system.
  
  Clivus Multrum has long experience with composting toilets (CM was an early designer of composting toilets) and greywater disposal systems.
• Builder's Greywater Guide, Art Ludwig. Oasis Design, 2006, ISBN-10: 0964343320 ISBN-13: 978-0964343320
• Create an Oasis with Greywater, Choosing, Building, and Using Greywater Systems - includes Branched Drains, Art Ludwig, Oasis Design, 2006, ISBN 0964343398
• the Culture of Technology, Arnold Pacey,
• Effects of Water Age on Distribution System Water Quality, American Water Works Association.
• Ferrocement Water Tank, Frans Dubbeldam. German Volunteer Service in Nepal
• Ferrocement Water Tanks and their Construction, S.B. Watt, printed by the Intermediate Technology Publications, London, UK.
• Gravity Flow Water Systems: Handbook of Gravity Flow Water Systems Thomas D. Jordan, Jr. Intermediate Technology Development Group. 1980.
• Maruata en el Cruce de Caminos, Art Ludwig. Oasis Design. Ecological systems designs for an indigenous community in Mexico, including water supply and sanitation. See PDF downloadable book at www.oasisdesign.net/design/examples/maruata/book.htm
• "Microbial Problems in Treated Water Storage Tanks", Smith, C., and G. Burlingame. 1994. In Proc. of the 1994 Annual AWWA Conference. Denver, Colo.: AWWA.
• The Toilet Papers: Designs to Recycle Human Waste and Water : Dry Toilets, Greywater Systems and Urban Sewage (Paperback) Sim Van Der Ryn, Wendell Berry; Quoting from an Amazon review:
  
  With a title like "Toilet Papers" and from a distinguished eco-architect like Sim Van der Ryn, I needed no intro or review to buy a copy of this little, but well researched historical over-view of effluent mitigation and current eco-friendly toilet design.
  
  This book is filled with good line drawings and photographs to depict everything from the historical perspective to the current dry toilets and their construction..
• Quality of Water in Storage Grayman, W.M. and G.J. Kirmeyer. 2000. "Protecting Your Storage Tank - An Analysis of Long- and Short-Term Options", Jacobs, K.A. 2000. In Proc. of the AWWA Infrastructure Conference. Denver, Colo.: AWWA.
• Rainwater Catchment Systems for Domestic Supply, John Gould and Erik Nissen-Petersen. Intermediate Technology Publications, 1999.
• Sand filters See www.oasisdesign.net/water/treatment/slowsandfilter.htm
• CONTACT US to list your product or service here - if you are a manufacturer of composting toilets or other alternative wastewater treatment system equipment your product may be listed at no fee. Website content critique, additions, and suggestions are also invited.