Laundry to Lawnscape Launched in Long Beach
Long Beach, California, has unveiled its Laundry to Landscape project, the latest in the city's attempts to reduce water use.
The program will allow residents to recycle water from their washing machines, also known as greywater, into their irrigation systems for gardens, shrubs and trees.
Participants will have a convertor installed in the rear of their washing machine which will either send water to the sewer or directly to landscape. The installation includes a below-ground irrigation system with eight to 12 points where the water will be distributed to the yard.
The program is available to single-family homeowners with suitable properties. The cost of the system is estimated to be about $750 each. A pilot program will give 36 people free installations to test the theory of the simplicity of the installation and the cost and savings involved.
Greywater irrigation systems are safe for watering most vegetable gardens, However, it is not recommended for watering lawns and gardens with root vegetables.
Meanwhile, as of next Spring, Oregonians can reuse water drained from sinks, showers and laundry to irrigate.
The new rules require homeowners, schools, businesses, apartment complexes and others to apply for permits costing at least $50 a year.
Oregon follows California, Washington, Montana, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Utah and Wyoming in allowing the use of greywater to varying degrees.