We live in Los Angeles, and own our house and recently ran into some one at a local Lowe's store who claimed to have redone his plumbing such that all gray water from the dishwasher and shower got drained into his planters? This sounds like an environmentally smart thing to do, but I'm very unclear about permit issues and even whether its currently legal. I was listening to an NPR show about a woman from Oakland, CA who was petitioning for changes to the code. I was wondering if by sheer luck LA would be ahead on this one?

Additionally, if it is legal, what are the plumbing steps needed to make this happen? Are their physical considerations that might prevent me from going forward.

As I'm not a DIY-type person, I would get someone to do this for me, but I really want some good information before I ask a plumber/contractor to give me a quote. Any information in this regard would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Hi rpray2007, I am your neighbor...

California is about to revise their greywater law as a consequence of the recent passage of Assembly Bill 313. This is an important opportunity to update this groundbreaking legislation. The current law, by mandating design specifics which eliminate every theoretical vestige of risk in every scenario, has greatly increased the public health threat from greywater systems. Santa Barbara, for example has issued approximately 10 permits for greywater systems since greywater was legalized in 1989. This is in an area with 200,000 people, as many as 40% of whom were using greywater in the last drought! So many requirements are obviously overkill that the entire law, including some very sensible provisions, is dismissed as a source of design guidance. A more reasonable regulatory stance would lead to greater participation and a reduction in risk from the perpetuation of unregulated systems. As California's law is being taken as a model for other states and countries this is all the more vital.

Also, read about Los Angeles Greywater Pilot Project: http://www.google.com/search?q=Los+Angeles+Greywater+Pilot+Project+&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a

Moreover, I would like to recommend to you following publication(s) to read. They deal with greywater and will answer most of your questions.

The Builder's Greywater Guide, a supplement to Oasis's book The New Create an Oasis with Grey Water (book), will help building professionals or homeowners work within or around building codes to successfully include greywater systems in new construction or remodeling in the US, even if they have little prior greywater experience.

Topics include: Special reasons for builders to install or not install a greywater system, flow chart for choosing a system, suggestions for dealing with inspectors, legal requirements checklist, detailed review of system options with respect to the new laws, latest construction details and design tips, maintenance suggestions, equations for estimating irrigation demand, and the complete text of the new California greywater law with annotations from Oasis (the California greywater law is very similar to the greywater appendix in the Uniform Plumbing Code, which may apply in all of the US west of the Mississippi and several Eastern States).

Author: Art Ludwig. Oasis Design, 1995-2006. 8.5 x11, 54 pages, 8 figures. ISBN 0964343320. $14.95

Builder's Greywater Guide Only

NOTE: The New Create an Oasis with Grey Water (book) is required in order to use the Builder's Guide. If you don't have Create an Oasis already, you'll want to order it or the set below:

New Greywater Book and Video Set: Create an Oasis, Builder's Greywater Guide, Principles of Ecological Design, Laundry to Landscape instructional DVD $49.80

Good luck with your project ! Milo

Ya lucked out when Milo responded to your question. He's on top of West Coast Codes.
My code mandates that gray water be treated the same as sewage and sent into the system.
I can see some costly problems in rerouting your gray water drainage away from the house out to your garden. I would think a grease trap would be necessary and if you have a disposal you would be either be clogging up the grease trap or dumping garbage, open to the air, in your garden.
I question how cost effective it would be to reroute the pipes in your house simply to water your plants and I wait with interest to hear Milo come back with the new code revision. Good luck, Tom

Thanks Milo - this is very helpful information. I'll looking into getting that book that you recommend.