§ 31-3-5-2 — Definition of "gray water"; lawful use

(a) As used in this Code section, the term "gray water" means waste water discharged from residential lavatories, bathtubs, showers, clothes washers, and laundry trays. (b) Private residential direct reuse of gray water shall be lawful if the following conditions are met: (1) Gray water originating from the residence shall be used and contained within the property boundary for household gardening, composting, lawn watering, or landscape irrigation; (2) Gray water shall not be used for irrigation of food plants; (3) The gray water shall not contain hazardous chemicals derived from activities such as cleaning car parts, washing greasy or oily rags, or disposing of waste solutions from home photography laboratories or similar hobbyist or home occupational activities; (4) The application of gray water shall be managed to minimize standing water on the surface; (5) The application of gray water shall be outside of a floodway; (6) The gray water shall not contain water used to wash diapers or similarly soiled or infectious garments unless the gray water is disinfected before irrigation; and (7) The gray water shall be applied only by hand watering using garden watering cans or similar hand-held containers. (c) County boards of health shall adopt the provisions of subsection (b) of this Code section by regulation. Local governing bodies shall be authorized to punish violations of said regulations as local ordinance violations, provided that the penalty for each such violation shall not exceed a $100.00 fine.

Legislative History

Amended by 2009 Ga. Laws 8,§ 31, eff. 4/14/2009. Added by 2008 Ga. Laws 686,§ 1, eff. 7/1/2008.