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Water advisory board votes to recommend Boulder opt out of graywater program
Summary
The Water Resources Advisory Board voted to recommend that City Council adopt code language to opt out of graywater reuse by Jan. 1, 2026, citing low projected uptake, program complexity and public-health enforcement burdens; the recommendation will go to City Council for first and second readings in October and November.
The Water Resources Advisory Board voted Sept. 15 to recommend that the Boulder City Council adopt municipal code amendments that explicitly opt the city out of permitting graywater systems unless the city later establishes a local regulatory program.
City utilities staff said the change is needed to comply with a 2024 state law that takes effect Jan. 1, 2026, and that the board’s recommendation will be forwarded to City Council for first and second readings on Oct. 16 and Nov. 6.
The recommendation reflects staff analysis that graywater — household wastewater from showers, sinks and laundry reused on the same property — can be technically complex to regulate. “A local graywater control program would require plan review, inspection and ongoing enforcement,” Crystal Mori, senior water resources engineer, told the board. She added that the state law flips prior rules by allowing graywater by default in new construction unless a city…
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