12:23pm | The City of Long Beach will launch a pilot “Laundry to Landscape” program for single-family homeowners to use “graywater” from their washing machines in irrigation systems. Benefits include reduced consumption of potable water, reduced load on sewage infrastructure and the replenishment of natural groundwater sources.

Graywater is wastewater produced from daily activities such as dishwashing, laundry, and bathing. It differs from sewage in that it contains no human waste. Graywater makes up between 50% – 80% of domestic wastewater, and can safely be recycled for uses such as irrigation, if processed separately from sewage.

“Long Beach, like all Southern California cities, will continue to face water constraints over the long run due to our arid environment and our growing population.  We need to use the water we have in smarter ways, which is why I proposed this “Laundry to Landscape” graywater pilot program.  Long Beach will be one of the first cities in California to test this innovative system of safely reusing water at households, and I look forward to continuing to explore innovative ways to conserve and prepare for an even more water-wise future with our Water Department,” said Councilmember James Johnson, who, with Vice-Mayor Lowenthal and Councilmember O’Donnell, proposed the pilot program.

The pilot will be unveiled Tuesday, August 23rd at 11:00 AM in front of the Water Department at 1800 E Wardlow Rd.  The program will be open to 36 single-family homes throughout Long Beach and 4 per district will be selected in a random drawing.