It seems like the drought affecting California won’t be ending any time soon, forcing residents to take more drastic measures to conserve water. For many in North Modesto and other areas in California, one method of conservation they’re using is recycling water.
According to a report from The Modesto Bee, many homeowners are starting to recycle gray water, household wastewater from kitchen sinks, dishwashers, bathroom sinks, and showers, among other plumbing fixtures. Gray water is collected and used for a variety of purposes such as watering the garden or cleaning certain items. It’s a fairly efficient system—but healthcare professionals are asking residents to be careful with gray water.
Possible Complications of Gray Water Use
Prior to the drought, the use of gray water was frowned upon by many experts. In fact, health, plumbing, and building codes were established to discourage the use of gray water, and for good reason.
One of the reasons why gray water was not a very popular option is because it can carry a variety of bacteria, viruses, or parasites that can spread disease. This is especially true if gray water accidentally contaminates drinking water. When contaminated water is ingested, it isn’t unusual to experience nausea, diarrhea, or even urinary tract infections.
If you experience any complications associated with gray water exposure, drop by a trusted urgent care center, like U.S. HealthWorks Medical Group, to have yourself checked by a doctor. This way, the cause of your symptoms can be identified and treated quickly.
How You Can Keep Yourself and Your Family Safe
The best way to ensure gray water is safe for use at all times is to subject it to filtration and sanitation methods. If you have a water filtration system (e.g. reverse osmosis system) you can spare at home, try running gray water through it to filter out pathogens and other impurities. Take note, however, that you shouldn’t use the same filtration system with clean water to avoid contamination.
Another highly effective method for removing contaminants from gray water would be to boil it. According to experts from the CDC, boiling water for a minimum of one minute can is “very effective” in killing protozoa, bacteria, and viruses from water.
As the drought continues, it would be wise for residents to explore different ways to make their water usage more efficient. Of course, it would be wiser to make sure that the water they use is safe, if they do decide to recycle gray water from their homes.
Sources:
California’s drought spurring water recycling at home, The Modesto Bee, June 4, 2015
A Guide to Drinking Water Treatment and Sanitation for Backcountry & Travel Use, CDC.gov
U.S. HealthWorks Modesto I 