Tuesday, Apr 23 2013 4:37PM
A new Colorado bill may help households conserve more water.
A new bill introduced in Colorado may help the state conserve water and use its resources more efficiently, according to the Denver Post.
House Bill 1044 would enable the state to use graywater for certain household purposes, such as flushing toilets or for landscaping projects, the news source reports.
Graywater is the wastewater by-product that results from washing machines and hand-washing sinks, not from toilets, urinals or kitchen sinks. Currently, this type of water is not permitted for watering lawns or flushing toilets, a prohibition that lawmakers say raises water bills for households.
The bill, which was already passed by the Senate agriculture committee, may allow a four-person household to conserve roughly 58,000 gallons of water a year, according to the source. Colorado is currently the only western state that does not allow graywater to be used.
As more federal agencies focus on water conservation efforts, a higher emphasis is being placed on wastewater services and how to maximize treated water for a variety of purposes. For example, the U.S. Department of Agriculture recently announced that it will provide more than $145 million in financing to facilitate 43 water system services and wastewater projects in 32 states.
For more information, check out this resource: The Denver Post