Water board recommends city opt out of graywater program, cites cost and public‑health concerns

The Water Resources Advisory Board recommended on Sept. 15 that the City Council adopt plumbing‑code language to opt the city out of establishing a local graywater regulatory program required by a new state law.

City staff said the change is required by a 2024 state law (identified in staff materials as “house bill 24 13 62”) that takes effect Jan. 1, 2026, and that local action is needed to avoid automatic allowance of graywater without a local regulatory framework. Crystal Mori, senior water resources engineer, told the board that "free water reuse is taking water from showers, bathrooms, sinks, and laundry machines, and reusing it in toilets or for underground irrigation on the same property." She said staff recommended opting out now because establishing and running a local graywater program would require new…