April 14, 2009
Who’s “gray water” is it anyway?
Greywater, also known as sullage, is non-industrial wastewater generated from domestic processes such as dish washing, laundry and bathing. Greywater comprises 50-80% of the residential wastewater generated from all of the house’s sanitation equipment, except for the septic tank (water from toilets is blackwater, or sewage).
Well, when you hear that, you’d think you own water you paid for to get to your house, and if you choose to recycle it in some manner and reuse it, you should be able to without any problem, right? Wrong.
Maybe not here in S.C., but in Las Vegas, water that’s used indoors travels a continuous loop. From people’s homes, water flows to a treatment plant, and is then sent back to Lake Mead where an equal amount is pumped out of the lake, and the 12-mile journey back to the treatment plants and then homes starts all over again.
“People paid for that water and I think they should be allowed to do with it what they wish,”
– Launce Rake, spokesman for the Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada.
Several locals have wondered: “Why don’t we shorten this loop somehow and come up with a more efficient system?”
As usual, it comes down to money. Water officials claim, “What’s the incentive for residents to curb consumption if their water bills drop? Even more water would be drawn from Lake Mead, without returning.”
Unfortunately, this is a case of too much conservation, and not enough efficiency. There has to be a middle ground where people won’t take advantage of the system by using excess water just because they own it.
Just do the right thing.
The swallow-tailed kite is an endangered-species in S.C. and considered a species of highest conservation concern.
Credit: SCDNR
The public is being asked to report sightings of the swallow-tailed kite, an endangered-species in South Carolina and considered a species of highest conservation concern throughout its breeding range in North America. You call toll free 1-866-971-7474 to report a swallow-tailed kite sighting or fill out the SCDNR form.
Swallow-tailed kites are unmistakable with their narrow, 4-foot wingspan and 10-inch long forked outer tail feathers. The dorsal coloration is black while the head and underparts are white. Average weight for adults is a little over 1 pound, with females being slightly heavier than males.
“The South Carolina Working Group for Swallow-tailed Kites would like to extend its gratitude for all of the citizen science for swallow-tailed kite sightings reported during the 2008 season.” – Laurel Barnhill, SCDNR bird conservation coordinator.
Primary challenges to the swallow-tailed kite are wetland loss and drainage. Specific threats along its migration routes and wintering grounds in southern Brazil are unknown at this time, but significant land use changes could negatively impact the species.
South Carolina’s goal is about 400 nesting pairs statewide. The areas most likely to contain swallow-tailed kites are the Pee Dee and Savannah rivers, Francis Marion National Forest, the ACE Basin and associated floodplains.
