Water Reuse Handbook - the Public Building Commission of Chicago

More documents

Recommendations

Info

Water Reuse Handbook Introduction: Benefits of Water Reuse Environmental Stewardship 4 : Public Building Commission of Chicago Utilizing cisterns or rainwater harvesting systems reduces the amount of rainfall hitting the ground and entering the sewers in an area. This diminishes the risk of basement, yard and street flooding, which occurs occasionally during major storm events in the City. Lower sewer loads at peak times reduces flood risk and the resultant property damage and costs associated with such events. There are many ancillary environmental benefits to utilizing water reuse systems: reduced overall demand for potable water conserves fresh water sources, which saves energy used in the treatment and conveyance of municipally supplied water, prevents flooding, protects water quality through diminished CSOs, and improves community water assets for recreation and wildlife habitat. This is consistent with the City of Chicago’s Climate Action Plan. A commitment to sustainability ensures that present needs are met without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Conserving our water resources helps to provide for our own needs as well as those of future generations. August 2011
Water Regulations Introduction Existing Regulations August 2011 The State of Illinois and City of Chicago both have jurisdiction over plumbing code in the City of Chicago, including regulation of any rainwater harvesting and greywater systems. Federal legislation is more general and ancillary to this discussion. The Illinois Plumbing Code, adopted by the State of Illinois and administered by the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH), sets minimum standards that regulate the design and construction of plumbing systems within the State, the City of Chicago, and the County of Cook. While the City of Chicago Department of Buildings has a separate plumbing code to govern plumbing systems State approval is also needed for rainwater harvesting and greywater systems for reuse interior to a building. The Illinois Plumbing Code and the Chicago Building Code currently do not include standards for water reuse systems, although this may change in the near future given recent activity around Illinois State legislation. Until these standards are fully established, public health and safety is protected through required review by the State DPH and the City of Chicago through the Department of Buildings Green Permit Program and the Committee on Building Standards and Tests (CST). The Green Permit Program provides incentives to sustainable design and gives the City of Chicago a tool to track sustainable features installed in Chicago. CST’s purpose is to “ascertain the suitability of…systems of construction….not permitted by or varying from, the performance requirements established by the building provisions of this Code but are claimed to be equally as good as or superior to those permitted…” under the Chicago Building Code. A growing number of water reuse systems have been approved to date. However, the CST is required to evaluate each project independently, which may add cost and time to the review process, and should be considered in budget and schedule development. State approval is not necessary for rain barrel exterior rainwater harvesting systems for irrigation, as they are not physically tied to the public water system, and therefore are exempt from the State Plumbing Code. However, cisterns, which store larger quantities of water and have greater maintenance requirements, and may have a connection to City water for supplemental supply, are subject to review under State and City code. Both such systems are widely accepted and approved in the City of Chicago, the County of Cook and the State of Illinois. Water Reuse Handbook Introduction: Chicago Water Regulations Public Building Commission of Chicago : 5
Page 1 and 2: AUGUST 2011 Public Building Commiss
Page 3 and 4: Contents Introduction .............
Page 5 and 6: Letter from the Chairman As Chairma
Page 7 and 8: Letter from the Executive Director
Page 9 and 10: Introduction The Public Building Co
Page 11: Reduced Demand for Potable Water Re
Page 15 and 16: Recent Regulatory Developments Augu
Page 17 and 18: Tools and Strategies: Reducing Fres
Page 19 and 20: Tools and Strategies: Reducing Fres
Page 21 and 22: August 2011 VENTILATION 8 FINISH In
Page 23 and 24: Tools and Strategies: Rainwater Har
Page 31 and 32: August 2011 VENTILATION 7 REQUIRED
Page 33 and 34: Tools and Strategies: Greywater Sys
Page 35 and 36: Tools and Strategies: Greywater Sys
Page 37 and 38: Tools and Strategies: Blackwater Sy
Page 39 and 40: August 2011 Public Building Commiss
Page 41 and 42: Planning for a Water Reuse System:
Page 43 and 44: Planning for a Water Reuse System:
Page 45 and 46: Building Operations and Maintenance
Page 47 and 48: Building Operations and Maintenance
Page 49 and 50: Local Case Studies: Beach Houses Be
Page 51 and 52: Local Case Studies: Beach Houses Au
Page 53 and 54: Local Case Studies: Valley Forge Fi
Page 55 and 56: Local Case Studies: Yannell Residen
Page 57 and 58: Local Case Studies: Center on Halst
Page 59 and 60: Local Case Studies: Center on Halst
Page 61 and 62: National/International Examples: St
Page 63 and 64:
National/International Examples: Po
Page 65 and 66:
National/International Examples: To
Page 67 and 68:
National/International Examples: Ha
Page 69 and 70:
National/International Examples: Sy
Page 71 and 72:
Page 73 and 74:
Page 75 and 76:
Bibliography “Greywater Reuse in
Page 77 and 78:
Bibliography “The Lifesaver Bottl
Page 79 and 80:
Definitions Definitions August 2011
Page 81 and 82:
August 2011 Water Reuse Handbook Pu
Page 83 and 84:
August 2011 Water Reuse Handbook Pu
show all

Water Reuse Handbook - the Public Building Commission of Chicago

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?