How can I work with my local building department to ease legal greywater reuse?
Many local inspectors and health officials have no direct experience with greywater systems, and often little training. Their job is two-fold: to protect public health, and to protect their agency from liability. Because of this, they may not be enthusiastic about permitting greywater. In states that have laws that do not require permits under certain circumstance, like Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas, and now California, the officials may not be aware of the code. It can be helpful to share with them other examples. You can download the codes from Arizona and New Mexico on the About greywater page. On the City of Santa Barbara’s website there is a schematic people can use. Interviews with the health department in Arizona reveal that there have been no complaints from neighbors related to greywater since 2001, the year the code changed. In states without codes, or with restrictive codes, the vast majority of people who want to reuse their greywater do so with out a permit. The alternati
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