Graywater and water reclamation in Durham

Using graywater (washing water from sinks, washing machines, air conditioners, etc.) is one way to conserve and fully use water, especially after mandatory limits were imposed last Friday.  I've been using dishwashing water to water plants for the entire summer and even gray treefrog tadpoles seemed to tolerate it.  The soap in the water might also discourage insects and provide fertilizer.  Graywater systems appear to be legal in Durham, but I'm not sure what the rules are.  Reusing water reduces the amount of treated wastewater released into creeks, though that also means less water goes back into the reservoirs directly.  

 

Wednesday the Herald-Sun (front page) reported that the Triangle Wastewater Treatment Plant could be providing treated wastewater for irrigation and industrial cooling around RTP as soon as next year.  As the article mentions, this will reduce the pollution going in to Jordan Lake.  I think it is a good idea, but I would be careful using it for irrigation because it could contain pathogenic organisms, despite treatment, as well as significant levels of medical and illegal drugs and possibly heavy metals.  I also wonder where the extra infrastructure for this will be placed, since cleared sewer easements already parallel many creeks with otherwise wooded buffers.