1. Rainwater Harvesting in Boulder, Colorado
IT IS ILLEGAL !
Do you know since when the Rainwater Harvesting become illegal in Colorado?
It's in 2009, until 2009 the State of Colorado deemed it illegal to capture rainwater off of one's rooftop, as it infringed on the supply of senior water rights holders downstream. Colorado was not alone in banning rainwater harvesting , Utah and Washington State had similar laws as of 2009.
Do you know why it's illegal in Colorado?
As in Malaysia, we have abundant of rainfall, water scarcity is not yet a big issue, however, the population growth has increase the demand of water usage.
Rainwater harvesting system (RHS) is only a very simple system in which the water is collected from a surface, for example a rooftop, where it empties into a water storage tank and finally being pumped into the house, and treated water is used for non-potable use. Purification is needed if the water is for drinking purpose.
WHY it's illegal in Colorado???
Opponents of the RHS practice argue that if rain/snowfall is captured, less water will flow to the streams and aquifers where it is needed for wells and spring. If enough people hijack precipitation, the thinking goes, it would be cheating downstream users who are legally entitled to the water.
On the other hand, proponents see RHS as a common sense solution to water shortage and stormwater runoff.
It's in 2009, until 2009 the State of Colorado deemed it illegal to capture rainwater off of one's rooftop, as it infringed on the supply of senior water rights holders downstream. Colorado was not alone in banning rainwater harvesting , Utah and Washington State had similar laws as of 2009.
Do you know why it's illegal in Colorado?
As in Malaysia, we have abundant of rainfall, water scarcity is not yet a big issue, however, the population growth has increase the demand of water usage.
Rainwater harvesting system (RHS) is only a very simple system in which the water is collected from a surface, for example a rooftop, where it empties into a water storage tank and finally being pumped into the house, and treated water is used for non-potable use. Purification is needed if the water is for drinking purpose.
WHY it's illegal in Colorado???
Opponents of the RHS practice argue that if rain/snowfall is captured, less water will flow to the streams and aquifers where it is needed for wells and spring. If enough people hijack precipitation, the thinking goes, it would be cheating downstream users who are legally entitled to the water.
On the other hand, proponents see RHS as a common sense solution to water shortage and stormwater runoff.
2. Learning from Centre for Resource Conservation (CRC), Boulder, Colorado
Irrigation System
70 % of water use go outside of landscape.
It is easier the change the outdoor water use and it has higher potential for saving water.
In fact, in Colorado, the water actually can be drank directly from the water sprinkler all along the road.
However, in University of Colorado (CU), the water cannot be drank directly as the water came from the stream through the pond in CU without treatment.
Thus, an issue arise is that the clean water is barely used for watering the plant, irrgation.
It is easier the change the outdoor water use and it has higher potential for saving water.
In fact, in Colorado, the water actually can be drank directly from the water sprinkler all along the road.
However, in University of Colorado (CU), the water cannot be drank directly as the water came from the stream through the pond in CU without treatment.
Thus, an issue arise is that the clean water is barely used for watering the plant, irrgation.
3. Gray Water Reuse System
The color of pipe for the gray water reuse system is in PURPLE color.
Purple is the standard color for pipe adopted by the international utility industry to distribute municipally treated reclaimed water.
Gray water reuse is the reuse of water drained from baths, shower, washing machines, and sinks (household waste water but not included toilet wastes) for irrigation and other waste conservation application.
It is not benign product as it still contains bacteria and pathogens.
Potential reuse of gray water is a public health issue, which is not a water conservation priority.
Some advantages of Gray Water Reuse:
- Replace other water used for landscape irrigation, although many interests are now advocating gray water use for toilet flushing.
- Filtered gray water can be used for subsurface irrigation of non-edible landscape plants. It benefits the plant as it contains nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorous.
- Conserved treated tap water.
- Diminishes sewer flows, lessening the need to expand municipal sewage treatment facilities.
Disadvantages:
- Diminished sewer flows may cause gray water use result in insufficient sewer flows to carry waste to the sewer plant.
- Increased use of gray water, less effluent water for treatment, less reclaimed water for municipal uses and downstream appropriator.
There is a common method for reusing the gray water:
To drain the washing machine directly onto outside vegetation. Sophisticated systems treat gray water prior to disposal using settling tanks ans sand filters in order to remove the solids and pathogen.
However, the settling tanks and filters will not remove the pollutants that dissolved.
Purple is the standard color for pipe adopted by the international utility industry to distribute municipally treated reclaimed water.
Gray water reuse is the reuse of water drained from baths, shower, washing machines, and sinks (household waste water but not included toilet wastes) for irrigation and other waste conservation application.
It is not benign product as it still contains bacteria and pathogens.
Potential reuse of gray water is a public health issue, which is not a water conservation priority.
Some advantages of Gray Water Reuse:
- Replace other water used for landscape irrigation, although many interests are now advocating gray water use for toilet flushing.
- Filtered gray water can be used for subsurface irrigation of non-edible landscape plants. It benefits the plant as it contains nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorous.
- Conserved treated tap water.
- Diminishes sewer flows, lessening the need to expand municipal sewage treatment facilities.
Disadvantages:
- Diminished sewer flows may cause gray water use result in insufficient sewer flows to carry waste to the sewer plant.
- Increased use of gray water, less effluent water for treatment, less reclaimed water for municipal uses and downstream appropriator.
There is a common method for reusing the gray water:
To drain the washing machine directly onto outside vegetation. Sophisticated systems treat gray water prior to disposal using settling tanks ans sand filters in order to remove the solids and pathogen.
However, the settling tanks and filters will not remove the pollutants that dissolved.