HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOUNCIL - AGENDA ITEM - 11/23/2021 - EXPLORING A LOCAL GRAYWATER ORDINANCE.DATE:
STAFF:
November 23, 2021
Liesel Hans, Interim Deputy Utilities Director
WORK SESSION ITEM
City Council
SUBJECT FOR DISCUSSION
Exploring a Local Graywater Ordinance.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The purpose of this item is to provide an overview of graywater systems and consider the option for the City to
adopt a local ordinance, which is necessary to enable installation of graywater systems.
GENERAL DIRECTION SOUGHT AND SPECIFIC QUESTIONS TO BE ANSWERED
1. What general questions or feedback does Council have on the proposed direction?
2. Does Council have specific feedback on the proposed:
a. Graywater application
b. Legal Boundary
c. Timeline
BACKGROUND / DISCUSSION
What is graywater?
In Colorado:
• Graywater is a portion of the water used in a residential, commercial, or industrial building that is collected
after the first use and put to a second beneficial use.
• Graywater can only be collected from bathroom and laundry room sinks, bathtubs, showers, and laundry
machines.
• Wastewater from toilets, urinals, kitchen sinks, dishwashers, and non-laundry utility sinks is not graywater and
cannot be used for a second beneficial use; this flow cannot be captured and must continue to the wastewater
collection system.
• Graywater is allowed (instead of or in addition to, potable water) in use cases of toilet and urinal flushing and
subsurface irrigation of non-agricultural plants. Subsurface irrigation is different from most common irrigation
systems which instead dispense water above ground.
• Here is a short video illustrating graywater: <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8kipgTJDUw>
Why allow the use of graywater?
The Colorado Water Plan (2015) sets a goal to achieve 400,000 acre-feet of conservation in the municipal and
industrial sectors by 2050. Further, the Fort Collins Utilities Water Efficiency Plan (2015) sets a goal to reduce
average water use to 130 gallons per capita per day by 2030. This requires an additional 8% reduction from the
current 5-year average over the next eight years. Both plans suggest exploring graywater as a potential strategy
to reduce water use. Also, City Plan (2019) points to encouraging greater efficiency in new and redevelopment.
Fort Collins is expected to grow significantly, with a potential for 30,000 new dwelling units in the Growth
Management Area (GMA) with about 30 percent expected to be single -family dwelling units and about 80 percent
November 23, 2021 Page 2
of all additional dwelling units expected to be outside of the Fort Collins Utilities water service area. An estimate
from Denver Water when they adopted their ordinance in 2016 suggests that for every 1,000 graywater systems
installed in new single-family homes, enough water could be saved to serve about 125 household per year. More
empirical research and data based on real world behavior is needed to understand if this estimate is realistic and
can be relied on for water resource planning.
Graywater also relates to the larger context of exploring tactics to use water more sustainably. While much of the
water used by the Fort Collins’ residents is treated to drinking water standards, not all of it needs to be. For
instance, the City uses of raw water for irrigation of most parks, recent legislation allows the limited use of rain
barrels, and some of the City’s wastewater effluent (what is treated and then discharged back to the environment)
is reused by the City and Platte River Power Authority (PRPA). Graywater is potentially another area where water
treated to drinking water standards is not required.
Why consider graywater now?
Here is the timeline of graywater in Colorado to illustrate why Fort Collins is considering graywater now:
• 2013: Colorado Legislature enacted HB13-144 into law, creating a voluntary, opt-in system which gives each
municipality and county local control and choice to authorize graywater use in their jurisdiction. This bill also
directed the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) to create the specific
requirements and the Colorado Plumbing Board to incorporate graywater into the Colorado Plumbing Code.
• 2015: The CDPHE Colorado Water Quality Control Commission adopts Regulation (Reg) 86. The purpose of
Reg 86 is to create the actual rules, requirements, and standards for a graywater control program. Their main
goal is to ensure graywater systems are set up and managed in a way that protects and minimizes risks to
public health and safety.
• 2016: The Colorado Plumbing Board incorporates graywater into the Colorado Plumbing Code.
• 2020: Northern Water operates the Colorado Big Thompson (CBT) project which is about half of Fort Collins
Utilities’ water use and is part of Fort Collins’ water every day. CBT water is not reusable, but the Northern
Water Board passes a resolution allowing use of CBT for only non-consumptive graywater uses, which is
defined in the resolution as only toilet and urinal flushing.
• 2021: Fort Collins Council adopts their Council priorities, identifying exploration of graywater as a priority.
A graywater ordinance would enable those who voluntarily want to utilize graywater in all or portions of the City of
Fort Collins. Although this technology is still largely in a “demonstrati on phase”, an ordinance would allow the
option, which currently is not allowed today.
Local note of interest: Colorado State University has been a big player in the research on graywater systems and
installed a graywater for toilet-flushing system in a dormitory (Aspen Hall) as a research and educational
laboratory. The legislation in 2013 impacted their ability to run this system, but House Bill 17 -1008 created a
research exemption. They currently are permitted to run their system but have not pursued funding to reactivate
operation.
Water rights and water district considerations
A graywater ordinance ultimately must conform with the water rights of the given community. Each community
has different water providers with a different water rights por tfolio which dictates the ability and extent to which
they can authorize the use of graywater.
Based on the Northern Water resolution and the significance of CBT water to Fort Collins Utilities’ and the
districts’ water rights portfolios, staff is only considering adoption of an ordinance that enables toilet and/or urinal
flushing graywater systems.
November 23, 2021 Page 3
Fort Collins has several water providers, each with its own, unique water rights portfolio and considerations. The
largest water providers are Fort Collins Utilities, the East Larimer County Water District, and the Fort Collins -
Loveland Water District. The considerations that apply to Fort Collins Utilities’ water rights portfolio may not apply
to the districts and their unique portfolios.
For example, most of Fort Collins Utilities’ water supplies are not allowed to be reused, and most of Fort Collins
Utilities’ reusable water is already dedicated to existing plans. Fort Collins Utilities also relies significantly on CBT
water. This puts Fort Collins Utilities at a disadvantage with graywater compared to other communities who have
significant sources of reusable water supplies, such as Denver Water.
Staff is approaching the potential use of graywater in the water districts’ boundaries from a collab orative
perspective and intends to continue consulting with them.
At this point, discussions with the water districts regarding graywater have not progressed to a sufficient level
such that we can assure Council that the water districts are comfortable that graywater use would conform with
their water rights portfolio. However, to keep this project moving, staff is proposing to move forward with
considering graywater use in Fort Collins Utilities’ water service area, leaving open the option for the distr icts to
join in the future as we continue to collaborate on this topic.
WHAT WOULD IT TAKE?
Below are a few of the key aspects of what is required for a local graywater ordinance and graywater systems.
This list is not comprehensive.
In order to enable installation of toilet/urinal flushing graywater systems, the City would need to:
• Adopt CO Plumbing code (Done! Already in current City Plumbing Codes and planned for incorporation in the
upcoming updates in early 2022)
• Consult with local health agencies and water and wastewater districts
o Ensure conformance with water rights
• Create a local ordinance or resolution
o Define legal boundary (ex: GMA vs. Fort Collins Utilities water/wastewater service area)
o Consult with local health agencies and water and wastewater districts
o Must meet minimum standards
of Reg 86
• Determine staffing resources, roles, and responsibilities
• Develop and implement program administration:
o Design criteria document
o Review and inspection system
o Permit and tracking system
o Operator compliance system
The physical graywater system for toilet flushing would need to include, among other things:
• National Sanitation Foundation/American National Standards Institute (NSF/ANSI) 350 standard certified
treatment system with a disinfection system
• Potable back-up system
• Dual plumbing system (potable and graywater)
• Min. 50-gallon storage tank (~4 square feet of space required)
• Backflow prevention system, cross-connection control to protect public health
November 23, 2021 Page 4
A property owner would need to:
• Conduct regular maintenance
• Keep maintenance manual
• Minimize exposure to humans and pets
• Hire a certified operator for any non-single-family systems (Reg 86 Category D: multi-family and commercial
systems)
POTENTIAL IMPACT AND STRATEGY COMPARISONS
How much water could a graywater program save?
As noted, graywater, especially for toilet and urinal flushing is still largely a “demonstration” technology and there
are limited manufacturers and limited information or studies on the actual upfront costs, maintenance costs and
water savings. Table 1: Estimated costs and benefits across selected water conservation measures below
includes information on a few selected existing water conservation measures and graywater for both a single-
family and multi-family property.
While the table below illustrates examples from the residential sector, the non -single-family categories of
Regulation 86 do allow graywater systems in commercial settings. A few commerc ial examples that lend
themselves well to consideration of graywater are recreation centers, gyms, and hotels. Commercial examples
were not included in this table because there are fewer real -world examples, more variables that affect cost and
impact, and less known about graywater systems in commercial settings.
Table 1: Estimated costs and benefits across selected water conservation measures
Estimated Costs Estimated Benefits
Measure Averag
e
upfront
cost to
custom
er or
develop
er
Average
annual
maintenan
ce costs
Average
annual water
savings
Average
annual
utility bill
savings
Return
on
Investm
ent for
Custom
er
Single-
family
homes (4
residents)
High-efficiency toilet
retrofit
$175 $4 Up to 20,000
gallons
$130 Instant
Irrigation
management
$0 $0 11,000 gallons $40 Instant
Xeriscape retrofit $3,800 NA 17,000 gallons $60 52 years
Graywater (toilet
flushing only)
$4,500 $36 10,000-20,000
gallons
$66-$132 46-150
years
Multi-family
(100
residents)
Graywater (toilet
flushing only)
$90,000 $500 230,000-
500,000
gallons
$1,500-
$3,000
32-90
years
Assumptions in this table: • The ROI for toilets assumes a $50 rebate to the homeowner. Without
this rebate the ROI is less than 1 year. “Up to” for toilets refers to the fact that the gallon s used per flush
for the original and the new toilet can vary. 20,000 gallons is based on an old 3.5 gallon per flush (gpf)
toilet to a 0.8 gpf toilet. • Irrigation management encompasses the tactics employed in the Fort Collins
Utilities Sprinkler Check-up Program, which includes adjusting the number of watering days and amount
of water applied to better match the needs of the landscape. The ROI for irrigation management
assumes the service is provided free to the resident. Without this, the ROI would likely be 1-2 years.
• The ROI for the xeriscape landscape retrofit includes a $700 rebate, which is the average rebate
November 23, 2021 Page 5
amount awarded through the Fort Collins Utilities Xeriscape Incentive Program. Without this rebate the
ROI becomes 63 years. • An estimate for maintenance costs for xeriscape are not available but are
likely not zero. It is difficult to tease out increased maintenance costs, if any, compared to previous
landscaping maintenance costs. • The maintenance costs for the graywater measures are very rough
estimates and may likely be too low. All utility bill savings and ROI are based on the 2021 Fort Collins
Utilities water and wastewater rates. For reference, a single-family home in the Fort Collins Utilities
service area with 4 residents is estimated to use around 130,000 gallons per year on average.
Key observations from Table 1:
• Range in Savings: The graywater strategies are presented with a large range of savings. This is because
there are not very many studies to demonstrate actual water use patterns. The other measures provided for
comparison are widely adopted strategies that are informed by real-world research from other communities
and our own programs and data.
• Scale and Application: There is a benefit from scaling up graywater systems. Single-family homes have a
limited amount of graywater whereas large facilities that have high uses of water from showers and laundry
and a higher demand for toilet flushing such as hotels, recreation centers, gyms, multi -family residential, and
dormitories, could realize more significant cost and water savings from graywater.
• Retrofit vs. New Construction: The graywater values above assume the system is in a new construction
setting. It is far more costly to retrofit existing structures than to incorporate a system into new construction.
The existing limited data suggest more interest will take place in new development.
• Reliability and Certainty of Savings: Not all measures are created equal; some provide more reliable and
consistent water savings. There is the potential for graywater to be turned off within a home if the user
bypasses treatment and continues to use potable water for toilet flushing, for example (providing a potable
water system is required by Regulation 86, making it relatively easy to bypass the system). From the existing
studies it is unclear how often this happens.
• Multiple Benefits: Each measure can offer multiple benefits to a resident and/or property owner, not just
water use reductions and therefore the ROI to the end user isn’t the only measure of importance. For
example, replacing a toilet might be part of a larger bathroom remodel that improves the overall value of the
home. A landscape transformation project might include a patio to allow additional usability like outdoor dining
and entertaining and may include plants that attract and support pollinators and support City’s biodiversity
goals. A graywater system, like the other measures, can represent a commitment to a conservation and
sustainable water use ethic.
• Other Graywater Applications: This table only presents information about toilet/urinal flushing graywater
systems. The other option allowed by Regulation 86 is graywater for subsurface irrigation. These are
commonly referred to as “Laundry to Landscape” programs. For other communities whose water rights
portfolio are amenable for these systems, there is the benefit that these systems are cheaper and easier to
manage, especially in the single-family context.
PROGRESS TO DATE ACROSS THE STATE
A local municipality or county is the authority that must adopt a local ordinance to enable a local graywater
program. Within Colorado there are 64 counties and 271 incorporated municipalities. Each of these entities have
one or more water providers, unique water rights and portfolios, one or more wastewater providers, different local
environment and public health entities, and development patterns that influence adoption of a graywater
ordinance.
One combined City/County, one County, and two Municipalities have adopted graywater regulations. Two others
are actively exploring the adoption of a graywater ordinance.
Table 2: Colorado Graywater Comparisons summarizes information on the agencies that have adopted
graywater regulations in Colorado based on publicly available information and interviews with staff from each
November 23, 2021 Page 6
entity. Of the five entities who have adopted regulations, two have seen some uptake (Denver and Castle Rock).
These projects have exclusively been in new developments, and all w ere incentivized by the local agency. The
early adopters are communities with a significant portion of reusable water supplies in their portfolios.
Table 2: Colorado Graywater Comparisons
Entity Year Systems
Permitted
Driver Uptake Incentive
Denver City &
County
2016 All Sustainability Goals 3 homes Denver Water
paid for
installation
Town Castle Rock 2018 All Development
community
29
homes
Reduced Water
Impact Fees
Pitkin County 2018 All Sustainability goals 0 No
City of Golden 2020 Subsurface
Irrigation
Sustainability goals 0 Plans for direct
install pilot
Broomfield 2021 All Community interest 0 No
Thornton Under development.
Larimer County Planned for 2022.
STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT
Graywater is aligned to a variety of plans and strategic objectives that touch many areas across the organization,
community, and state. This AIS has touched on a few already, but below are more about each. These include, but
are not limited to:
• City Strategic Plan (2020): The City Strategic Plan provides a vision and framework for the City. It outlines a
variety of goals including: to provide a high-quality water supply, intensify efforts to improve resilience, and
provide world-class municipal services through operational excellence and a culture of innova tion. Graywater
can align to these objectives, and others, by creating an innovative tool for water planning that has the
potential to reduce water use in new developments.
• Utilities Strategic Plan (2021): This Plan bridges the larger City Strategic Plan and the work across all of
Utilities. Graywater can support this Plan by supporting goals to ensure sustainable service delivery, leverage
new and innovative technology, and meet customer needs, among others.
• City Plan (2019): The City Plan provides a coordinated and cohesive set of policies to support ongoing
climate adaptation and resilience planning throughout the community. Graywater can support these goals by
responsibly managing water resources with the potential to reduce water use in new developments.
• Municipal Sustainability and Adaptation Plan (2019): This Plan is the employee roadmap for operating
and building a healthy and sustainable organization by 2050. This Plan formally addressed climate adaptation
and resilience. Graywater supports this mission by enabling a new strategy to sustainably manage water
resources.
• Our Climate Future (2021): Our Climate Future outlines a roadmap to address climate, energy, and waste
goals while improving our community’s equity and resilience. Graywater can support this mission by
establishing new strategies to reduce water use in new developments and increasing our community’s
resiliency.
• Water Efficiency Plan (2015): The State- and Council-approved Water Efficiency Plan outlines a goal to
reach 130 gallons per capita per day (gpcd) by 2030. The plan also outlines various levels of opportunity
including greater integration of water efficiency into land use planning and building. Graywater falls into this
category as a tactic to explore but historically has not been prioritized due to other cost -effective projects with
reliable savings (e.g., fixture efficiency standards in building codes).
November 23, 2021 Page 7
• Water Supply and Demand Management Plan (2012): The Water Supply and Demand Management plan
aligns to the Water Efficiency Plan and aims to ensure a reliable, safe, water supply for our Utility. Graywater
can align with these goals by acting as a demand management strategy. The Water Efficiency Plan and this
plan are scheduled to be updated soon. The effort will provide a comprehensive look at our water resources,
supplies, demands, and potential scenarios to ensure a reliable water supply into the future, including further
exploration of graywater and other uses of non-potable water supplies.
• Housing Strategic Plan (2021): The Housing Strategic Plan is a strategy for “everyone in Fort Collins to
have healthy, stable housing, they can afford.” The plan describes goals to achieve this vision, including
addressing opportunities with water costs and housing. Graywater has the potential to reduce water costs for
end users.
• Colorado Water Plan (2015): The Colorado Water Plan is the State’s roadmap to sustainable water
management. The plan outlines various objectives to meet future demand including sp ecific goals connected
to adoption of graywater regulations across the state. Graywater aligns with these goals and others by
encouraging municipal conservation, efficiency planning and land use water planning, and the idea of “right
water for the right use.”
ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS
Upcoming Regulation 86 Update: CDPHE shared that they expect to update Regulation 86 soon (estimated
2022-2024) after the NSF/ANSI 350 standard will be updated (expected 2021 -2022). Staff anticipates that a local
graywater ordinance may need to be reviewed and potentially revised following an update to the regulation and
may pose risks to any systems that are installed prior to the update of the regulation, if older systems don’t
conform with any critical Regulation 86 updates that may be made to protect public health.
Wastewater Impacts: Reducing indoor water use at a large scale can have significant impacts to wastewater
utilities. Reducing flows can cause stoppages in the collection system which may require more frequ ent flushing
or trouble-shooting. Further, at a large scale this could contribute to more concentrated flows at the reclamation
facilities, which may require changes to the treatment process. These potential impacts can be greatly mitigated
by improving awareness and minimizing behaviors such as flushing or disposing of materials and objects that do
not belong in the wastewater system. This includes flushable wipes, feminine hygiene products, fats, oils, and
greases (FOG), etc. Staff are in the process of expanding existing public outreach campaigns, such as “What not
to flush” and FOG, by tying the messaging to water efficiency efforts to highlight the importance of eliminating
certain items from wastewater stream to keep things flowing. This enhanced effo rt is likely to begin in early 2022.
In the meantime, the current campaigns can be found here:
• <https://www.fcgov.com/utilities/what-not-to-flush>
• <https://www.fcgov.com/fog>
Fort Collins has several wastewater providers. The largest water providers are: Fort Collins Utilities, the Boxelder
Sanitation District, and the South Fort Collins Sanitation District. The above considerations may apply to these
districts to some degree. As with the water providers, staff is approaching the potential use of graywater in the
wastewater districts’ boundaries from a collaborative perspective and intends to consult with them. At this point,
discussions with the other wastewater districts regarding graywater have not progressed to a sufficient level such
that we can assure Council that they are comfortable with graywater. However, to keep this project moving, staff
is proposing to move forward with considering graywater use in Fort Collins Utilities’ wastewater service area,
leaving open the option for the districts to join in the future as we continue to collaborate on this topic.
Upcoming Utilities Policy Updates: It is in the Utilities workplan to update both the Water Efficiency Plan and
the Water Supply and Demand Management Policy, which together guide the decisions about water resources for
Fort Collins Utilities. This process will evaluate planning scenarios and various strategies to ensure reliable water
for our community. Widespread installation of graywater systems will be considered in that planning proc ess.
November 23, 2021 Page 8
NEXT STEPS
Based on research and interviews, staff recommends adopting an enabling ordinance for a toilet/urinal flushing
graywater system within the geographic area that is with both the Fort Collins Utilities water and wastewater
service areas.
Estimated timeline:
• Q4 2021 - Q1 2022: Draft ordinance and other related documents
• Q2 2022: Internal and external stakeholder engagement, including Boards and Commissions
• Q3 2022: Bring ordinance to Council for consideration
• Q4 2022: Update website and create informational/education materials as needed
ATTACHMENTS
1. Information Sheet (PDF)
2. Powerpoint Presentation (PDF)
Graywater Information Sheet
January 2016
Background
As a result of 2013 legislation, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment – Water Quality Control
Division developed Regulation 86: Graywater Control Regulation (Regulation 86). In 2015, the regulation was adopted
by the Water Quality Control Commission.
Regulation 86 is only one component of a larger legal framework which must be in place for graywater to be used
legally in the state. In addition to Regulation 86, the Co lorado Plumbing Board has a requirement for graywater piping
within structures. Any graywater use will also need to comply with Colorado water rights, which is regulated by the
Department of Natural Resources, Division of Water Resources.
The 2013 legislation made graywater an opt-in program for local jurisdictions not a statewide program. To allow
graywater use, local jurisdictions include a city, city and county, or county will have to adopt an ordinance or
resolution to allow graywater use within their jurisdiction by developing a graywater control program that meets the
requirements of Regulation 86. Please contact your local city or county to see if a local graywater program is in place.
What is graywater?
Graywater is a portion of water used in a residential, commercial or industrial building that may be collected after the
first use and put to a second beneficial use.
Graywater sources may include water discharged from:
Bathroom and laundry-room sinks.
Bathtubs.
Showers.
Laundry machines.
Graywater does not include water discharged from:
Toilets.
Urinals.
Kitchen sinks.
Dishwashers.
Non-laundry utility sinks.
Graywater uses and treatment requirements
Regulation 86 outlines requirements, prohibitions and standards for graywater use for non-drinking purposes. Allowable
graywater use categories are summarized below. Please see Regulation 86 for more detailed information. Note that
local requirements may be more stringent than Regulation 86 requirements and may not allow all use categories.
Category A:
Single family,
subsurface irrigation
Category B:
Non-single family,
subsurface irrigation
Category C:
Single family, indoor
toilet and urinal
flushing, subsurface
irrigation
Category D:
Non-single family,
indoor toilet and urinal
flushing, subsurface
irrigation
Single family users.
Design flow of 400
gallons per day (gpd) or
less.
For outdoor, subsurface
irrigation within the
confines of the legal
property boundary.
Non-single family
users.
Design flow of 2,000
gpd or less.
For outdoor,
subsurface irrigation
within the confines of
the legal property
boundary.
Single family users.
Design flow of 400 gpd
or less.
For indoor toilet and
urinal flushing and
outdoor, subsurface
irrigation within the
confines of the legal
property boundary.
Non-single family users.
No maximum flow for
indoor use, design flow of
2,000 gpd or less for
outdoor irrigation.
For indoor toilet and urinal
flushing and outdoor,
subsurface irrigation within
the confines of the legal
property boundary.
Regulation 86 outlines design criteria and control measures (aka best management practices) for each category. Please
contact your local city or county to discuss local graywater control program requirements.
ATTACHMENT 1
Exploring GraywaterLiesel HansInterim Utilities Deputy Director, Water Resources & TreatmentATTACHMENT 2
3Questions for Council1. What general questions or feedback does Council have on the proposed direction? 2. Does Council have specific feedback on the proposed: • Graywater application• Legal Boundary• Timeline
4What is Graywater?SourcesClothes washing machines Bathroom and laundry sinksBathtubsShowersToilet flushingUsed water is collected and reused.Treatment and dyeSubsurface irrigationUsesSettingsSettings
5Strategic AlignmentCity PlanOur Climate FutureHousing Strategic PlanMunicipal Sustainability and Adaptation Plan“Right water, right use”Colorado Water PlanWater Supply & Demand Management PolicyWater Efficiency PlanCouncil PriorityCity Strategic PlanUtilities Strategic PlanExploring Graywater
6Regulation 862013Colorado Legislature signed HB13-144 into Law2015CDPHE Colorado Water Quality Control Comm. adopts Reg 862016Graywater allowances effective in CO Plumbing Code2020Northern Water OKs graywater for toilet flushing only2021-22NSF/ANSI 350-2011 update2023-24?CDPHE to update Reg 86NSF = National Sanitation Foundation, ANSI = American National Standards InstituteCDPHE = Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment
Growth Management Area (GMA)Fort Collins UtilitiesELCO Water DistrictFort CollinsNFort Collins Loveland Water DistrictWest Fort Collins Water DistrictWater Service Area7Legal boundary would need to be defined. Each water district has a different water rights flexibility and limitations related to graywater.
8What It Takes The City Would Need To:Adopt CO Plumbing codeConsult with local health agencies, water and wastewater districtsEnsure conformance with water rightsCreate a local ordinance or resolutionDefine legal boundary Must meet minimum standards of Reg 86 Determine staffing resourcesDevelop program administrationDesign criteria documentReview and inspection systemPermit and tracking systemOperator compliance systemToilet Flushing System Requirements:NSF/ANSI 350 standard certified treatment system w/disinfection system Potable back-up systemDual plumbing Min. 50-gallon storage tank (~4sq. ft)Backflow prevention, cross-connection controlProperty Owners Would Need To:Conduct regular maintenanceKeep maintenance manualMinimize exposure to humans and petsCertified operator required for non-single familyapplications
Potential Impact Considerations“How much water could a graywater program save?”Range of SavingsScale & ApplicationRetrofit vs. New ConstructionReliability & Certainty of SavingsMultiple Benefits 9
Golden (2020)Broomfield (2021)Denver (2016)3 homesCastle Rock (2018)29 homesPitkin County (2018)Thornton in progressLarimer County planned 2022Progress Across the State
Proposed ApproachProposed Approach: • Create an enabling ordinance• Application: toilet/urinal flushing systems only• Boundary: Fort Collins Utilities water and wastewater service areasEstimated timeline:11Create draft ordinance and other related materialsQ1 2022Stakeholder engagement and revision Q2 2022Bring ordinance to Council for considerationQ3 2022
12Questions for Council1. What general questions or feedback does Council have on the proposed direction? 2. Does Council have specific feedback on the proposed: • Graywater application• Legal Boundary• Timeline
For Questions or Comments, Please Contact:THANK YOU!Liesel Hanslhans@fcgov.com