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California regulators have approved using residential "gray water" by issuing an emergency decision that allows residents to create simple water-reuse systems without a construction permit.

The California Building Standards Commission had expected an overhaul of gray-water rules to take effect in 2011. But on Thursday, it adopted the regulations on an emergency basis due to the deepening drought. Local health agencies may adopt stricter conditions than the state's after they hold public hearings.

Gray water includes wastewater from showers, bathtubs, bathroom sinks, laundry tubs and washing machines, but not from toilets, kitchen sinks or dishwashers.

Homeowners still must follow state guidelines for installation and use. The rules require minimal contact between people and the gray water, for instance by covering the water-release point with at least 2 inches of rock, mulch or other material.

'GRAY WATER' FACTS

New state rules provide permit exemptions for some residential gray-water systems, but people still have to follow several requirements. They include:

 The system must allow users to direct water to an irrigation field or the sewer.

 Ponding and gray-water runoff are prohibited.

 Gray water can be released above ground, but the discharge point must be covered by at least 2 inches of mulch, rock or other material that minimizes human contact.

 Water used to wash diapers or other soiled garments must be sent to the sewer.

 Gray water shouldn't be used on root vegetables.

Online: For more information about California's new standards for gray-water systems, go to uniontrib.com/more/gray.

Roughly 1.7 million gray-water systems are installed statewide. Most are illegal because homeowners almost always avoid permits and the associated fees.

Do-it-yourselfers can build a gray-water system for $200 or less, but permitting-process costs can more than double the expense.

A standard home generates about 160 gallons of gray water per day, or nearly 60,000 gallons per year, state officials said. A family of four could reuse 22,000 gallons a year by tapping the rinse water from its washing machine.

Natural building materials already surround us! Think wood, living platns, metal, bricks...

What's a home without plants?  It's just a short hop to understand how remodeling and plants are intertwined for energy efficiency and beauty.  What's a home without trees, shrubs, grasses, flowers, even moss and weeds!  They all can be designed "greener" to produce natural texture, cooling shade and a fresh supply of oxygen!

But there are other natural building materials that can be part of your efficiency remodeling projects to make your home or building energy efficient and environmentally sound.

ROCKS

Local, natural rocks can be used -- and have been used for eons -- as a natural building material.  They can be walls, fences, stepping stones, patios, even furniture.  When you use local rocks, you maintain your local charm and flavor.,..and you reduce the high cost of transporting these heavy materials. 

Rocks used as a natural building material choice for indoor sun porch floor that can double as a heat reservoir in winter. Place these heat retaining natural building materials so they absorb sunshine that hits them during the heat of the day.  Heavy curtains can seal in the warmth and release the heat into your living rooms at night.

Small rocks can also be used as gravel on a pathway or laid carefully into concrete for a textured surface.  Really tiny rocks...called sand ... have many natural building material uses as filler, cover, and utilitarian uses. 

The humble rock...so very important in our living infrastructure and such a great value as a natural building material! 

DIRT

Don't forget the building properties of dirt!  In early building techniques, dirt was made into adobe and cob and even mortar between stones.   Then people learned that earthern berms against a wall can insulate the home from cold winter precipitation -- rain, snow, sleet and moist winds.

Today's concrete foundations can benefit from an earthern berm to reduce the infiltration of cold air into the crawl space. 

LIVING PLANTS

Living roofs are an ancient technique that is being revived on commercial buildings, in particular.  By growing a thin layer of plants on a well structured roof, low-water use plants can actually absorb rain and prevent it from turning into urban runoff that carries hardscape pollutants into our ground water. 

WOOD

Not all wood has to be imported from exotic locations.  Local wood can be used as both a natural building material...and a local material to weave into charming garden fences or used to construct grape arbors or display posts for cascading vines.  Fence posts are a very common use of local limbs.  

Cross cut rounds can be used as stepping stones and edgings and even rustic furniture.

Local sawmills also cut siding that provides local charm and lower transportation impact to our environment.  It pays to get to know your local timber management resources such as local lumberyard owners, utility companies that have to trim trees regularly, and even tree farmers.

Wood is a renewable resource...you can even plant your own trees to harvest in  the years to come!  

Finding local salvage or used building materials is one thing...finding enough materials for a large project like a room addition or even a new building or new house is a challenge on a whole different scale.

That's when you need to check out resouces such as:

Habitat ReStores:  Shops that sell used building supplies and other used building materials.  Proceeds from ReStores help build Habitat houses in the community -- an additional sustainable benefit!

Building Materials Reuse Association (BMRA) is a nonprofit educational resource for those interested or involved in deconstruction and reuse, recycyling and recovery of building materials.  They have a directory of reuse stores at:  Directory of BuildingReuse.org

Reclaimed Wood Council gives you all the basics about reclaimed wood and can connect you with reclaimed wood specialty companies.  Reclaimed wood in increasingly being used for furniture manufacturing as well as construction projects to help qualify for USGBC LEED projects.

Online commerce sites such as Craigslist and Freecycle help connect you with people with stuff.  Concerns are that you really need to know what you're doing and have to watch for stolen property.  Safety for your own well-being if you carry cash to off the beaten path locations can also be a concern.  Don't go alone!

Dumpster diving, looking around landfills and junk yards are also sources for unique materials -- but usually not in sufficient quantity, not to mention that you really need to know your stuff to separate quality from junk.