Graywater program expanding: Redwood City provides it free for residents

Participants of the program need to complete some training first and must keep the graywater out of city storm drains. The program is currently free for residents.

The water is also available for commercial users at a charge, said Sindy Mulyono-Danre, the city’s water resource management supervisor.

So far, the city has about 10 commercial customers including the scrap metal yard operated by Sims Metals, she said.

The city already uses graywater to irrigate city-owned land in Redwood Shores, she said.

The recycled water comes from Silicon Valley Clean Water through a system of pipes.

The water can be accessed by commercial customers through purple hydrants throughout the city and will be provided with a meter to calculate use.

Recycled water can be used on construction sites for various purposes including dust control, Mulyono-Danre said.

“We heavily encourage commercial users to use recycled water,” she said.

Residential users will have to get the recycled water from a tank at the corporation yard at Broadway and Chestnut Street.

Regina Kipp was one of the first residents to take the training and her husband was the very first to get free water last week.

Kipp said filling up big containers is the way to go.

“The problem is, if you come with a 5-gallon container it will take you forever,” Kipp said about accessing the 300 gallons each resident can use a day.

She’s graduated to 55-gallon drums and is even looking to buy a 275-gallon container.

She uses the water for her plants.

Kipp, who helps put on the city’s annual Fourth of July celebration, has encouraged city officials to set up a booth at this summer’s event to promote the program.

“I think the program is really fantastic and other cities should do it,” Kipp said.

Redwood City Councilman Ian Bain said the city could expand the program even more and that selling recycled water to nearby cities is also feasible.

He has also installed large rain barrels in his yard and encourages others to do the same.

The city has invested in the infrastructure to provide graywater for landscaping and Bain hopes it will expand west toward Emerald Hills and the golf course.

“We need to start with the biggest water users first,” Bain said about expanding the program.

Many of the new buildings downtown will be dual plumbed so recycled water can be used for window washing or other purposes if the state approves the use.

For more information go to: www.redwoodcity.org/publicworks/water/recycling/Programs.html

bill@smdailyjournal.com

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