As a result of 2013 legislation, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, Water Quality Control Division, developed Regulation 86: Graywater Control Regulation (Regulation 86). The Water Quality Control Commission adopted the regulation in 2015, which was recently updated in 2023.
Regulation 86 is only one component of a larger legal framework that must be in place for graywater to be used legally in the state. In addition to Regulation 86, the Colorado Plumbing Board has a requirement for graywater piping within structures. The Department of Natural Resources, Division of Water Resources regulates graywater, which needs to comply with Colorado water rights.
The 2013 legislation made graywater an opt-in program for local jurisdictions, not a statewide program. To allow graywater use, local jurisdictions, including a city, city county, or county, will have to adopt an ordinance or resolution to develop a graywater control program that meets the Regulation 86 requirements. Please contact your local city or county to see if a local graywater program exists.
What is graywater?
Graywater is a portion of water used in a residential, commercial, or industrial building that may be collected after the first use and put to a second beneficial use.
Graywater sources may include water discharged from:
- Bathroom and laundry-room sinks
- Bathtubs
- Showers
- Laundry machines
Graywater may not include water discharged from:
- Toilets
- Urinals
- Kitchen sinks
- Dishwashers
- Non-laundry utility sinks
Regulation 86 is part of the legal framework for graywater use in Colorado. The Colorado Plumbing Board also adopted a version of the Plumbing Code that allows graywater piping within buildings. Graywater use must comply with Colorado water rights regulations. Local jurisdictions must adopt an ordinance or resolution to allow graywater use. Check with your city or county for local graywater programs.
How to get involved
The stakeholder meetings for this effort are complete, and the division would like to thank stakeholders for their participation. Please visit the commission's hearing web page for information about ongoing and recently completed Water Quality Control Commission hearings.
For more information about Regulation 86, please contact:
- Brandi Honeycutt | brandi.honeycutt@state.co.us