graywater in austin, texas dr. lauren ross, ph.d.,p.e., glenrose engineering, inc
TRANSCRIPT
Austin’s Water Supply: Lake Buchannan and Lake Travis Combined
34%
66%
685,000 acre-feet in storage, enough to fulfill LCRA firm water contracts for 1.3 years
Single-Family Residential Outdoor Water Use in 2013
Potential Gray Water -
5,000
10,000
15,000
20,000
25,000
14,661
23,487
Single-Family and Duplex Outdoor Water Use Compared to Potential Gray Water (acre-feet
per year)
• No more than 400 gallons per day
• Only private residences
• Alternative wastewater system must be available
• Pipe must be purple and labeled
Austin Gray Water Design Requirements
Austin Gray Water Design Requirements
• Must be distributed under at least 2 inches of soil, mulch, or gravel
• A plumbing license for pressure systems or more than 250 gallons per day
• A surge tank
Austin Gray Water Design Prohibitions
• No kitchen sinks, toilets, or diaper laundry water
• No use for toilet flushing
• No discharge to ponds, fountains, waterfalls, or creeks
• No use for vegetable gardens with root crops or where edible portions touch the ground
Austin Gray Water Design Prohibitions
• No ponding or runoff
• Not on slopes exceeding 3:1
• No use over outcrop areas of the Edwards or Georgetown Limestone
Soil and Plant Health
• No chlorine products
• No sodium chloride-softened water
• No powered soaps or detergents
Soil and Plant Health
• Use cautiously: whiteners, softeners, enzymatic products
• Acid-loving plants will struggle
Lauren Ross, Ph. D., P.E.Glenrose Engineering, [email protected]
Robert StefaniCity of Austin Water Utility512-974-9302