In This Issue... 2020 Earth Day Activities
&
Gray Water Reuse in Coconino County
COVID-19 Update-
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Coconino County Community Development is open but operating remotely with limited onsite staffing. For the safety of the public and staff given the health concerns regarding COVID-19, we are requesting that all Community Development business be conducted only over the phone, by email, or if necessary by appointment.
The Sustainable Building Program will continue all aspects of our Program's work during this time. We will continue to conduct project certification site visits or will work with contractors to obtain documentation of sustainable features. Feel free to reach out to us by phone or email with questions or for project support during this time.
Coconino County Sustainability will be celebrating this year’s 50th Earth Day remotely, with a full week of service and learning activities based around a theme for that day, including activities for kids. We will also have Lunch and Learn presentations, offered via Zoom. This Earth Day 2020, we encourage everyone to be a Sustainability Champion. See our Earth Day website for more details!
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Gray Water Reuse
Arizona has one of the least stringent codes for the reuse of residential gray water in the country. However, permitting and installing one of these systems becomes more complicated when the gray water system is part of an on-site wastewater system for the home, as is often the case in Coconino County. CCSBP has been working on new gray water resources to clarify the applicable regulations and provide additional resources for successful installation of these systems for customers who would like to implement gray water systems in Coconino County. This newsletter will explore the state regulations related to gray water reuse, regulatory issues that arise when a gray water system is used as part of a wastewater system and identify additional resources.
What is Gray Water?
Gray water is the used water from baths, showers, wash basins, clothes washing machines and hand wash sinks. Gray water comprises from 50-80% of the water used in a home. While gray water is cleaner than combined gray and black water flows, gray water can contain significant levels of solids (hair, lint, food particles), chemicals (from shampoos, detergents and other cleaning agents), as well as microorganisms (bacteria and viruses) including human pathogens.
Why Use Gray Water?
Installing a gray water system is a great way to reduce the need for potable water at your residence. Landscape irrigation is one of the largest residential uses of potable water, with a national average of 30% of total household use. Reducing the use of potable water is particularly advantageous in areas where homeowners are hauling water as this incurs additional costs and energy use. In areas with limited water sources, utilizing gray water can allow for lusher vegetation and expanded plant selections.
Is a Permit Needed for a Gray Water System?
The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality’s Type 1 General Permit for Gray Water allows for private residential use of gray water for a flow of up to 400 gallons per day as long as 13 conditions are met (click here to see the conditions). This General Permit for Gray Water is specific to the outside portion of the gray water system design only. For this portion, there is no permit application needed. However, when permitting an on-site wastewater system, Coconino County may have additional requirements for the inclusion of a gray water system component. The following table summarizes these requirements.
For a more in-depth description of these requirements, clickhere.
For the inside portion of a gray water system, a permit from the Building Division is required for both new homes and for retrofitting an existing plumbing system. Plans submitted as part of a building permit application including a gray water system must:
1. Specify which fixtures will be connected to the gray water system
2. Note the requirement for purple pipe (or an easily visible purple stripe) for gray water plumbing
3. Note the requirement for a 3-way diverter valve that will allow gray water to be diverted to the wastewater system when the gray water system is not in use
4. Show the location of the irrigation area
5. Show the gray water outlet(s) from the building
When retrofitting an existing home that is on an individual wastewater system in Coconino County, a wastewater permit already exists. The Coconino County Environmental Quality Program does not require a separate permit for a gray water system at this time. The application to the Building Division can consist of a site plan with the above information and can be handled as an over-the-counter permit.
For new construction, the gray water system is permitted as a component of the on-site wastewater system. See page 6 for gray water system permitting requirements on new residential construction projects.
General Requirements
Wastewater systems must be sized for 100% of the design flow. No reduction in design flow is allowed due to gray water utilization because there will be times when the gray water system is not in use and the system must be sized for those circumstances. A 3-way diverter valve must be installed for all gray water systems to allow for diversion of the gray water into the wastewater system when the gray water system is not in use. A diagram of the typical location of this diverter is shown on the following diagram.
If a home has a slab floor, all sinks (except kitchen), tubs, showers and washing machine outlet can be connected to a separate gray water drain line. In this situation, the diverter valve and backwater valve can be connected to the blackwater drain line outside the home.
Installing a backwater valve is optional; it prevents blackwater from backing up into the gray water line if the blackwater line becomes plugged below the diverter valve connection.
For a more detailed description of system components and requirements as well as other helpful information for designing a system, see CCSBP's Gray Water Informational Packet.
Mandatory Gray Water Stub-out
Coconino County’s Mandatory Gray Water Stub-Out Code Amendment (below) mandates that clothes washers on exterior walls be pre-plumbed to make it easy to connect to a gray water irrigation system in the future (washing machines with plumbing on interior walls are exempt from this requirement). The code also states that, when feasible, at least one bathtub or shower shall also be pre-plumbed in this way. The extent of the pre-plumbing required for each of these is a 3-way diverter valve that allows for the wash water to be sent to the wastewater system in one position, and a future gray water system in the other position, and then piping to an exterior “stub-out”. See the full code for further details.
Non-potable water outlets such as hose connections, open-ended pipes and faucets must be identified at the point of use with signage and all gray water plumbing must be purple or have an easily visible purple stripe.
New Gray Water Resources!
Learn more about designing and installing a gray water system in Coconino County through these new resources:
Visit our website soon for Application Packet for Composting Toilet with Gray Water and Sewage Vault!
Announcements
The City of Flagstaff's Sustainability Program is working with RentLab to improve sustainability and affordability in the rental housing sector.
Together, they have developed a short survey in order to learn more about tenant households and their utility usage. This anonymous crowd-sourced data will be used to help target cost-burdened neighborhoods, buildings/complexes, and household types for efficiency improvements and related City programs.
As an additional incentive, everyone who completes the survey, will be entered in a raffle to win one of five $50 gift certificates to Absolute Bikes! So what are you waiting for?? The survey only takes a couple minutes out of your day, and may be found here.
Click above image to visit website.
LIVE Facebook Streaming
Willow Bend will be continuing their programming through LIVE Facebook streaming every Wednesday and Friday at 11 am. You can view these programs for free and find materials on our Facebook page. In addition we will post the schedules and activities on our blog: http://www.willowbendcenter.org/news
Education Programs Assistant (start date TBD)
This position is responsible for assisting the Education Programs Manager with all tasks. These tasks may include school field trip leading and scheduling, summer camp staff assistance, and docent tours. Additionally, this position will be in charge of training and scheduling volunteer Segway tours and occasionally leading said tours.
The Arboretum at Flagstaff’s Eco-Explorers Summer Camp program is age-specific, place-based, and
hands-on. We aim to teach campers about the ecology and natural history of the Colorado Plateau,
instill a sense of connection with the natural world, and have fun while we’re at it!
