With water conservation weighing on the minds of California homeowners like never before, our team at CaliforniaFIRST is at the ready to offer you financing for key home water efficiency upgrades.

What is greywater?

In a residential context, greywater is water used in sinks, tubs, washing machines, and showers. Water used for these purposes is considered “gently used,” and contains minimal organic matter, making it a prime candidate for filtering and reuse for other (primarily outdoor) residential applications. Unfortunately, many homeowners are unaware of the usefulness and relative ease of reusing greywater; greywater can account for up to 70% of residential wastewater.

Reusing greywater

Each state and local government has different codes for where and how greywater can be reused. The most common way to utilize greywater is for landscape irrigation, particularly for large plants, trees, and shrubs. Filtering greywater and connecting it to water-efficient drip irrigation (which we can help you finance!) is a very effective way to reduce water waste. Some homeowners also use sterilization systems for their greywater for reuse indoors, a more elaborate and sophisticated water conservation strategy.

Components of a greywater system

Greywater systems focus on strategic and safe water reuse. These systems, which are unique to each house, can be as simple as a specialized drain that diverts water from entering the sewer and reuses it for watering your yard. Other typical greywater system components include branched drain systems that collect water from various appliances, “laundry-to-landscape” systems that reuse washing machine water, pumps to transport the water, and even filtering and sterilization features for water recycling. With greywater systems, it’s possible for California homeowners to reuse 50-80% of gently used household water, which is equivalent to between 180 and 290 gallons every day (based on a residential California average of 360 gallons a day).

Financing your greywater system with PACE

PACE (Property Assessed Clean Energy) financing is our innovative solution for home water conservation and energy upgrades. By providing you, the homeowner, with 100% upfront financing, we make it possible to afford the initial cost of the upgrade, a cost that you pay back on your property tax bill over a flexible term between 5 and 25 years. Our application process is quick and easy, and as our hundreds of happy homeowners can attest, the upgrades make a serious difference in lowering water (and energy) bills.

Connecting you with a quality contractor

To ensure your greywater system installation is done correctly the first time, we’ve assembled a collection of more than 900 qualified contractors from all over the state. These registered professionals will get you on the path to water savings as efficiently and effectively as possible. Together, we can combat the drought with affordable, water-saving home projects. To get started on your water efficiency project and to learn more about our other eligible indoor and outdoor water-saving products, get in touch with us today!