AN ACT ESTABLISHING A COMPREHENSIVE WASTEWATER REUSE AND GREYWATER MANAGEMENT PLAN.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
SECTION 1. The department of environmental protection shall develop a comprehensive greywater reuse management plan that pertains to the discharge and reuse of greywater from residential, commercial and public buildings and facilities. For the purposes of this act, the term "greywater" shall mean putrescible wastewater discharged from domestic sinks, hand washing and custodial water use at public and commercial facilities and buildings, washing machines, showers, bathtubs, dishwashers and other sources as identified by the department in regulations promulgated under this act. Greywater shall not include putrescible wastewater discharged from toilets, urinals and drains equipped with garbage grinders.
As part of the greywater reuse management plan and within 3 months of the effective date of this act, the department shall conduct a review of the scientific and engineering literature, in conjunction with the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, pertaining to the discharge and reuse of the different types of greywater, including the effects that the reuse of greywater has on groundwater and surface water, and including a review of the experience of other states with greywater management and reuse. The review shall include recommendations on the course of action to be taken by the department concerning the reuse of the different types of greywater. Upon completion of the review, the department shall prepare a report, which shall be submitted to the chairs of the joint committee on natural resources and agriculture and the chairs of the house and senate committees on ways and means.
SECTION 2. (a) The department shall issue draft regulations not later than January 1, 2003 pertaining to reuse and discharge of greywater created by hand washing and custodial water use at public and commercial facilities and buildings. The department shall promulgate final regulations on such reuse and discharge not later than June 1, 2003.
(b) The department shall issue draft regulations not later than January 1, 2003 pertaining to reuse and discharge of greywater from sources other than hand washing and custodial water use at public and commercial facilities and buildings including, but not limited to, the reuse and discharge of residential greywater. The department shall promulgate final regulations on such reuse and discharge not later than June 1, 2003.
SECTION 3. Where self-contained, zero-discharge, stand-alone, composting toilets are to be utilized by state agencies, political subdivisions of the commonwealth or private organizations, the applicable state agency, political subdivision or owner of the property on which the toilets are to be installed need not demonstrate that a system in full compliance with regulations promulgated pursuant to section 13 of chapter 21A of the General Laws could be installed for wastewater discharged from toilets, urinals and drains.