Frisco Sanitation District is opting out of Colorado’s new “graywater” law.
Since 2013, homeowners statewide have been allowed to collect graywater from sinks, tubs and showers for non-potable uses, like watering lawns and gardens. Wastewater from toilets, aka blackwater, was never allowed.
But an updated graywater law, which takes effect in January, has towns like Frisco hustling to outlaw new graywater systems. House Bill 24-1362 says graywater systems are allowed – and must be regulated by a utility – unless prohibited by local law.
Towns must opt out, or they are automatically opted in.
Town council is ready to pass this local graywater prohibition at tonight’s regular meeting. First reading of the ordinance passed unanimously.
The town’s reason? Allowing greywater would cost too much for too little.
Reads the ordinance, “as a result of the significant regulation and administrative oversight that would be required to implement the safe use of graywater and graywater treatment systems, and in light of the limited use of such graywater and graywater systems that would likely result if allowed, the Town Council has determined that it is in the best interest of the Town and its inhabitants to prohibit the use of graywater and graywater systems within the Town of Frisco.”
Summit County commissioners have not recently discussed graywater recycling. The Vail Daily reports Eagle County commissioners have little appetite for it, but have not yet prohibited new systems.
The state graywater bill won with bipartisan support from mostly rural lawmakers, including Sen. Dylan Roberts (D), of Frisco, and Rep. Meghan Lukens (R), of Steamboat Springs.
