Gray Water Plumbing Code Workshop
by daniel sola | Jun 28, 2022
2 reads | 1 Comment
2 reads | 1 Comment
Summary:
This workshop would allow the experts in the field to to create a new way to reduce water consumption and reduce the load on the municipal water and sewage treatment systems. The notion of using high quality potable water for uses like irrigation, wastes energy and resources. This system would allow a large portion of our potable water supply to be used twice. Once we get used to using our water more than once we will begin to see more ways to reuse this resource and get more out of each cycle of water use.
About You
About You
First Name
Daniel
Last Name
Sola
Country
United States, MN, Ramsey County
City
St. Paul
About Your Organization
Organization Name
Wenck Associates
Organization Website
http://www.wenck.com
Your Idea
Name your idea
Gray Water Plumbing Code Workshop
Describe how you would use $15,000 to help your community become aware of and address water issues in Minnesota.
It is currently illegal to use household "gray water" (non-toilet waste water water) for watering your lawn. I will convene a workshop of plumbing, water treatment, building code, government, and lay people to develop a model plumbing code for allowing the use of gray water for irrigation and other non-potable use in homes and business. This practice, used elswhere in the world, is currently prohibited by the plumbing code.
How do you define your "community"?. How are water issues affecting your community?
I am both a environmental professional and a homeowner in St. Paul. Right now it is illegal to use gray water to, for example, irrigate my lawn. This results in using valuable, highly treated municipal water and sending lighly used water to the sewage treatment plant.
Innovation
Describe how your idea is creative.
This workshop would allow the experts in the field to to create a new way to reduce water consumption and reduce the load on the municipal water and sewage treatment systems. The notion of using high quality potable water for uses like irrigation, wastes energy and resources. This system would allow a large portion of our potable water supply to be used twice. Once we get used to using our water more than once we will begin to see more ways to reuse this resource and get more out of each cycle of water use.
Impact
Describe how how you expect your idea to make a difference in your community.
The first "hook" is that it will reduce summer water bills for residents. In doing so, residents will have an inexpensive way to help reduce load on water supply systems, especially during droughts. It will also potentially allow them to continue to irrigate during watering bans; bans could be designed not to apply to gray water users. For the municiaplity it will reduce water treatment costs for muncipal systems, and reduce the need to expand capacity. Finally, it will give builders an inexpensive add-on to new construction to help them advertise "green" technologies.
Sustainability and Growth
Describe how your idea will "stick" in your community and how you think it could be repeated in other communities.
Once there is a model plumbing code avaiable it will be easy to incorporate gray water systems into local building codes for both new and existing construction. These systems are safe, simple, and inexpensive, involving only a tank and a few plumbing connections. The the average person or builder could install and use it in the short term.
 | daniel sola updated this Competition Entry. - 1777 days ago |
 | Camille Cauchois said: Great idea for reusing water & showing how this idea can positively impact a wide range of people! about this Competition Entry. - 1778 days ago read more > |
| daniel sola updated this Competition Entry. - 1795 days ago |
 | daniel sola submitted this idea. - 1795 days ago |
Take action: |
||
|
discuss |
share this entry |
|
|
Like this (0 likes) | ||
Links:
- 2 reads
-
Like this
(0 likes)