Ever wonder where all that water goes once you’re done with it? Your shower, the kitchen sink, the bathroom. The answer is simple: the wastewater treatment plant located northeast of town just past the landfill.


How much wastewater do we create? According to the City website, as a city we produce approximately 5 million gallons of wastewater per day. In the grand scheme of things, this is just over 2000 average size swimming pools every day. This does not include the university.

In terms of consumption, we power through just under 11 million gallons of potable water a day. Since June of 2014, we have reduced that number to 9 million.

By far the City of Davis’s largest operational contribution to greenhouse gasses derives from its role as a water utility supplying water and processing wastewater.

A large portion of this drainage water is called greywater and it is anything but waste. In California, greywater is defined as discharge water from your laundry washing machine, showers, and bathroom sinks only. A simple gravity-fed, home-based greywater system allows you to irrigate your yard year round and requires very little maintenance.

Greywater systems also help reduce demand on our potable water supply, reduce volume and costs of running the treatment plant, reduce City ghg emissions, and save money every month on your water bill. Win-win all the way around.

You can learn how to install your own laundry to landscape greywater system at an upcoming hands-on workshop to be offered in East Davis.

Eco consultancy EcoAssistant is offering a full day laundry to landscape greywater installation workshop on December 5, 2015, from 8:30am – 5pm. Join Chrissy Backman and Leslie Crenna for a heaping helping of greywater basics, a step by step installation presentation, and an afternoon of hands on assembly and landscape installation. Practice the skills you need to install your own system. Go to www.ecoassistant.net for more information and to register.

For more information about the wastewater treatment plant and other water related issues go to: CityofDavis.org > city-hall > public-works > water >water-rates > frequently-asked-questions