08-17-10 Regular Meeting of the Building Codes Appeals Board

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CHAPTER 4 · GREEN PLUMBING SYSTEMS 179 utrient load on streams and rivers is almost negligible. This results in o gen being available in the water and a return to improved activity ofm Pollution etected Quickly Without wage systems to flush away wastes, It would be easi to ascertain where toxi wastes are being leaked into watercourses. Indus would be more willing to rec' these problems if it were easier to identify e sources. Damage Limited Miscalculation in in 'vidual composting systems has uch smaller impact than the same mistake in a arge centralized system. I s also easier to rectify and return to normal operatio Flexibility of Planning Compo sting toilet systems are built 0 when the need arises. The high headwork and treatment costs of c ve ional sewage systems must be borne by the community ahead of developme . If development does not go as planned, then money is wasted. Less Environmental Impact Compared to sewage syste s, on-site compos' g and greywater treatment has less impact on the enviro ent: · Large effluent re ases into watercourses and oc ns are avoided. · Disruption to oils systems through pipeline installa . n is eliminated. · Leakage raw sewage into groundwater through pip deterioration and breaka is eliminated. By el' inating the planning constraints of the sewage system undergroun Ipmg an mfrastructure, housing developments can be designed with more emp environmental and social considerations, rather than how best to situate . blocks to make pipes run straighter. Waterless Urinals Toilets and urinals are still flushed with potable water and it is estimated that up to 20% of the available drinking water in the world is flushed down the drain, wastefully. In addition, leakage of water delivery lines may add an additional 8% to the above. A Waterless urinal saves on average up to 45,000 gallons of water a year. Twenty- two Waterless urinals can save up to 1,000,000 gallons of water per year. It can be estimated that there are approximately 8 million urinals installed in the US alone with approximately 100 million people using these fIxtures. Assuming an average 2 gallon flush, the potable water use of urinals alone, in this country per year, is approximately 160 billion gallons! 160 billion gallons of water is equivalent to the water usage of 490,000 homes or 1.9 million people per year.