ARIZONA DAILY STAR: Tues., Sept. 23, 2008

Guest Opinion: Graywater mandate is a bad idea

By Stanley D. Adams

Mandating the pre-piping of graywater systems in all new one- and two-family homes at a cost to the owner of about $500 sounds good but it is a bad idea. Six of the seven members of the Pima County and city of Tucson Mechanical Code Committee (three of whom are professional engineers, including myself), are adamantly against mandating this requirement.

In addition to the $500 of pre-piping, the potential graywater user would have to add an underground storage tank, pump, and distribution piping at an additional cost of about $5,000.

It is very unlikely that even one in 100 homeowners would be either interested in or would pay the additional money required to install a graywater system.

Politically, this ordinance sounds good. Who doesn't want to conserve water? If you understand all the ramifications, however, the ordinance is absurd and detrimental to the Tucson community.

Stanley D. Adams is the president and owner of Adams and Associates Inc., a Tucson engineering firm, and chairman of the Pima County and Tucson Mechanical Code Committee.

FULL OPINION: http://www.azstarnet.com/allheadlines/258745