Earlier this month, Denver City Council passed an ordinance that now allows graywater to be used in commercial and residential applications. [1][3] As one of the nation’s driest cities [2], the new ordinance helps drought-strickened Denver conserve community water supplies by using graywater for toilet-flushing and irrigation. It also helps modernize Colorado’s over 125 year old water rights, which are based on a first-come, first-served precedence [4], by providing an additional water management option through graywater reuse.
The city of Denver hopes to reduce potable water use 20 percent by 2020; however, the state’s current water right laws have made that goal difficult to meet. Persistent drought and population growth have created the need for a long-overdue transformation to the state’s current water rights. As a progressive step forward, the use of graywater, water from bathroom and laundry sinks, bathtubs, showers and laundry machines, may help Denver meet its water reduction goals.
While participation is voluntary, Denver anticipates a large number of bulk-water consumers, such as hotels and colleges, to use graywater for their irrigation and toilet flushing needs.Denver Water CEO, Jim Lochhead says, “Water conservation has been key to ensuring we meet the needs of future generations, and it’s time that as a city and state we take additional steps to embrace an integrated, sustainable approach to urban water management.” [1]
Published: May 31, 2016
[1] Berwyn, Bob. Denver authorizes gray water program. Summit County Citizens Voice, May 3, 2016. Web. https://summitcountyvoice.com/2016/05/03/denver-authorizes-gray-water-program/ [2] Breslin, Sean. America’s Driest Cities 2015. The Weather Channel, February, 2015. Web. https://weather.com/health/news/driest-cities-in-the-united-states [3] Hernandez, Lance. Denver City Council okays use of ‘graywater’ to meet sustainability goals by the year 2020. The Denver Channel, May 3, 2016. Web. http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/local-news/denver-city-council-okays-use-of-graywater-to-meet-sustainability-goals-by-the-year-2020 [4] Colorado Department of Natural Resources. Water Rights. Colorado Department of Natural Resources, N.D. Web. http://water.state.co.us/surfacewater/swrights/Pages/default.aspx