District 6 Update: From the Desk of Councilmember Lorie Zapf

Councilmember Lorie Zapf

San Diego is a region that imports more than 80% of our water supply. What once was a low-cost and reliable option has become limited, for a variety of reasons. As the population of Southern California continues to grow, the costs of importing water to San Diego and our neighboring counties will only increase. This is why it is vital to the success of our region to not only to diversify our water supply sources, but to implement as many water conservation tactics as possible.

San Diegans have done a fantastic job over the past few years of lowering their water use, but the City Council wants to empower San Diegans with more tools in their water conservation arsenal. As a member of the Natural Resources and Culture Committee, I have helped approve two water-related measures: easing restrictions on residential graywater treatment systems, and moving forward with a large-scale Indirect Potable Reuse recycled water project.

Graywater is untreated household water from showers, baths, bathroom sinks, and washing machines. By easing regulations on residential graywater treatment systems, we can lower the cost and increase the availability of these important water recycling systems, while giving San Diegans the potential to conserve millions of gallons of water every year. It isn’t necessary to use drinking water to water grass or flowers, using recycled water from our washing machines or bathtubs will work just as well.

I am personally looking in to installing a graywater system in my home, and I hope many other Clairemont residents will join me. We’ve all heard the saying “don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater”, but when it comes to graywater, I would encourage San Diegans to not throw out the baby or the bathwater.
For more information on installing a graywater system, call 619-446-5000 or visit www.sandiego.gov/water/recycled/graywater.shtml .