What are the reactions of people in your area regarding the reuse of effluent water?

Question

What are the reactions of people in your area regarding the reuse of effluent water?

Answer 1

In my area, SoCal it is mixed.  More cities are using it to water median plants, but local codes still have provisions prohibiting it.  For example, if you build a backyard BBQ island with a sink, you cannot discharge the water into your yard, it must be connected into a sewer.  The thinking is that grey water has contaminants that could leach into the soil.  We have even been struggling with the toilet to tap issue for years though the water treatment plants assure the public that it can be done safely, no efforts have been made to institute it.  I reuse all kinds of water at my own home as long as there are not chemicals that would be harmful to my plants contained in it despite what other people think.  Gray water still gives my plants a drink that they need in our semi-desert climate on a 100 degree day.

Answer 2

We don't need it nor use it, we have more than an ample supply of fresh water, we also do not have an over population problem.

Answer 3

We didn't have running water or a drain as a kid, so the dish water went out the front door onto the lawn.   Kept it green in that area and the chickens picked up any food bits that went out with it.

Answer 4

I am glad that the Hong Kong water is purchased from China. The reuse of effluent water is probably good for irrigation only because the impurities are good for the plants. I think last year Australia was facing the drought and a few cities was voting for recycling of the sewage water. Effluent water is good for the turf in the race track.

http://www.cocoafl.org/index.asp?NID=269

Answer 5

Likewise, in my youth we had no running water, no sewage system. So what little water we carried from the well eventually found its way into the orchard to be consumed by the trees. The toilet was outside, and the f***s from it were composted and used to fertilize the orchard. I can not recall any other way in use at that time.

Over time we went to septic tanks and weeping beds with electrically pumped water, but the effluent water and f***s still went to the same place, the orchard.

Today our septic system feeds an area of lawn that is used to provide grass clippings for the garden, and for the walnut trees.

All of our neighbors likewise use their effluent water in the same way... it is required by municipal ordinance.

Answer 6

Other than irrigation, there's not much you can do with it.