With the ability to reuse two out of every three gallons of water used indoors, the Nexus system alone can recycle up to 40,000 gallons of water annually. Credit: news.kbhome.com

More California residents are installing gray water systems to battle the state’s proclaimed drought, reports The Wall Street Journal.Across the state, mandatory cutbacks are in place. Rather than remove their green lawns and gardens, residents are increasingly turning to gray water systems – a lush lawn without the guilt reads the WSJ headline.

Companies installing these systems say demand has soared in the past year, with one company estimating a 200% increase.

The costs range from several hundred dollars to tens of thousands or more. A couple in Los Angeles reportedly spent $160,000 installing a gray water and rainwater system in their home. They don’t expect to recoup any of the costs, but they have been able to cut their usage in half, and stay in the lower water-usage tier.

In June, builder KB Home unveiled the Sea Cliff Community, 52 homes in San Diego that all include the Nexus eWater grey water recycling system.

“It’s a very practical thing,” says Ralph Petroff, chairman of Nexus E-Water, a San Diego-based company that designs and installs water-recycling products for homes. “You have a guaranteed supply of water for landscaping, no matter how bad the drought is.”

Obtaining proper permits can be a lengthy process, but that is expected to change, if an economic benefit can be reached.

Read the article at: http://www.wsj.com/articles/gray-water-brings-lush-lawns-without-the-guilt-1439474433