Posts Tagged ‘legislation’
Over the last three days, we have looked at the state of gray water in this great state. We have talked about the challenges of the past and the opportunities of the present. And when it comes to the future of gray water recycling in South Carolina, I am optimistic, friends.
I am less optimistic, however, about our nation’s overall water consumption. If you look at the path we are taking, we simply cannot sustain the water we consume. According to the EPA, the average American used about 10 gallons of water every day a century ago. Today, we use 100 gallons. Another stat claims that at least 36 states will face serious water shortages within the next five years.
While yesterday’s post looked backwards, today’s post will examine South Carolina’s present situation in regards to gray water recycling. As I mentioned when I kicked off this little three-part adventure, the meeting at our local DHEC office last week was paramount in my understanding of South Carolina’s current position on gray water.
One key detail that was gleaned from the meeting was that DHEC’s involvement only comes in where the gray water goes out.
In other words, DHEC is the governing body that approves projects where gray water is applied via drip irrigation systems. If gray water is being recycled only to flush the building’s toilets, the responsibility falls on the local building code inspector. More on that a little later.
Last week the California Building Standards Commission voted to allow homeowners to install their own gray water systems. The law was passed in response to almost four years of drought, and throughout it all, California homeowners and water districts have lobbied for creative ways to recycle gray water.
That’s not all they’ve done. More than 1.7 million gray water systems have already been installed in the state illegally. No wonder one of the largest gray water groups in California is aptly named The Greywater Guerrillas.
Although the legislation is only state-wide, the new law is a step forward for everyone who is passionate about conserving water. In fact, the victory prompted long-time gray water activist Art Ludwig to declare: “Tuesday, August 4, 2009, is California greywater liberation day.”
Somebody break out the fireworks.
April 13, 2009
(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – U.S. Rep Mike Coffman (R-Colorado) today announced a new legislative proposal to increase water conservation recently introduced in the Congress. The legislation, House Resolution 1908, The Water Accountability Tax Efficiency Reinvestment Act (W.A.T.E.R. Act), will promote water conservation by providing a tax credit to homeowners and businesses that purchase water efficiency-components that reduce water consumption.
This legislation will help conserve one of our most precious resources by providing a tax incentive to reward water conservation. Water conservation must be a key component of an overall strategy for meeting the increased demands for water across our country,” said Coffman.
Coffman modeled his legislation after the “Energy Star” program currently administered by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Under the Energy Star program, energy-efficient products, that may cost more to purchase than standard models, will pay the consumer back in lower energy bills within a reasonable time frame irrespective of any benefit derived from the tax credit.
To read more, visit: Congressman Mike Coffman, Representing the 6th District of Colorado.
Are you a fan of Paul Simon? Not the singer-songwriter, but the ex-senator from Illinois. If so, you may know that Simon was a huge advocate for water conservation during his time in the senate. He even wrote a book called Tapped Out: The Coming World Crisis In Water and What We Can Do About It.
In the book, Simon says, “Mention the water issue to key media people and they agree on its importance, but unfortunately they also agree there is not much public interest. Unless public interest is stirred, we will face serious crises and wars that could have been avoided.”
That’s right–wars. Along with the CIA, Simon predicts that serious conflicts will arise over water in the coming decades unless we address the issue now. Here’s what you can do. You can watch the video below. You can visit Water for the World. You can sign the petition.
You can even call me Al.
