[ca-gw] opportunity_down_the_drain?

Tue Apr 14 09:42:24 PDT 2009

WARNING -  elected officials are constantly being pulled in all different directions, with all sorts of other priorities.  No matter what they want to do to help us, they might not get their letter to DHCD finished if you don’t draft the letter for them, tell them the deadline again, and then ask for a copy of whatever they sent to DHCD.  To provide you with a copy, they will have to produce the original first.  Then, you can reference that letter in your own letter to DHCD, while providing DHCD a copy of it.

The Sierra Club is working on a letter to DHCD.  Environment Now is working on their letter to DHCD.  

From: Ed Bertain [mailto:ebertain at ushydrotech.com] 
Sent: Tuesday, April 14, 2009 9:21 AM
To: steve bilson; 'Sonia Diermayer'; linda at sandrabird.com
Cc: ca-standard at graywater.org
Subject: Re: [ca-gw] opportunity_down_the_drain?

To all.

Even though it’s a little late.  I've had City Council members get the message across to legislators about the importance of changing the nomenclature

 used for water reuse.

Everybody who has an interest in making this right needs to make at least one strong attempt to get the message to key decision makers.

Is there a list of  Legislative allies that interested supporters could voice their concern too regarding  the current dynamics?

Thank you,

 Ed.

 Edward Bertain

US HydroTech Environmental Solutions, 

1007 W College Ave #461

Santa Rosa, CA   95401
ebertain at ushydrotech.com   www.ushydrotech.com

 PH: (707) 793-4800                 FX: (888) 473-3650

   Improving Water Quality; It's our Purpose.

-----Original Message-----
From: "Steve Bilson" <stevebilson at rewater.com>
Sent 4/14/2009 7:39:03 AM
To: "'Sonia Diermayer'" <sodier at mindspring.com>, linda at sandrabird.com
Cc: ca-standard at graywater.org
Subject: Re: [ca-gw] opportunity_down_the_drain?

It doesn’t take a hundred legislators to change DHCD’s course.  It only takes a couple.  If you find one who is not interested, go to another.  You have several to chose from that represent you, and you aren’t constrained by even that.  Find one who sits on the Water, or Environmental ,Committee who “gets it”.

From: ca-standard-bounces at graywater.org [mailto:ca-standard-bounces at graywater.org] On Behalf Of Sonia Diermayer
Sent: Tuesday, April 14, 2009 12:08 AM
To: linda at sandrabird.com
Cc: ca-standard at graywater.org
Subject: Re: [ca-gw] opportunity_down_the_drain?

Hi Linda--

One graywater stakeholder I talked to seemed to feel that talking to the legislators would be a waste of energy--they are "not that interested". Anybody else have experiences to confirm/refute that?

But, if you do try to set up meetings about graywater in Sacto, I'd like to join you (Adam might remember me from my volunteer work w/FWW last year). 

I have written a general informative article about the graywater code revision (sent in a separate email). You're welcome to use any or all of it as background material. (Eventually it will be published in the Sierra Club Yodeler, but since it has not yet been edited/approved, please cite me individually as the author, not Sierra Club!)

Thank you for working to rekindle the fire here!

Sonia 

On Apr 13, 2009, at 10:53 PM, linda at sandrabird.com wrote:

A well connected woman has offered to help- this is what she sent me:

I am going to be going up to Sacramento with Adam Scow and others from the water coalition to lobby Mark Leno's office about desal.  Obviously Adam will be leading the meeting, so I would have to check with him about this, but perhaps we can also educate his staff about this code, the hearing on the 27th and what needs to be changed in it.  We could also try to arrange an appt with Jared Huffman about this as well- let them know this means something to their constituents.

Nice work

Do you think you could send a quick summary of the process so far, the first stakeholders meeting, the letter writing and the next meeting, what's already happening and what's going to happen soon.  And also, a brief summary of what the code says now and how it might change- for better or worse.  Who the opponents to gray water are now and who the allies are.  Doesn't need to be any longer than a page.

Guys- do we have a collective response? Do we want to meet with politicians? (Notes:  Adam Scow is involved in Food and Water Watch- A National Organization.  Marin water department has proposed a Desal Plant)

I can respond on my own- but I'd love some back-up.
Linda Nave 

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: [ca-gw] opportunity_down_the_drain?
From: linda at sandrabird.com
Date: Mon, April 13, 2009 8:48 pm
To: "Steve Bilson" <stevebilson at rewater.com>
Cc: 'Juliet Lamont' <jlamont at creekcats.com>, ca-standard at graywater.org

Thanks Steve for redirecting us back to the codes.
So.. let's think outside the tank.  What can those of us who can speak, interpret but not write in the language of code do to support the effort of changing this code? 
Should we compose a letter to send to... who?- to get their support.  The gov? All of our senators.  What if all of us emailed a target audience on the same day?
Ideas- anyone?
Steve (the whole list) the email I sent about what is going in in Marin was not intentioned as 'support me' I wanted to reopen our dialogue.  The Grey water group had gone silent.  
I celebrate our re-opening of conversation.
Lets take forth to the masses the embodied power of water- as Steve has wisely pointed out- we cannot let this opportunity to change the codes go down the drain!!!
What happened to the support of a tiered system?  Should simple residential systems be in the same mesh of codes intentioned for larger systems?

Linda Nave

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Re: [ca-gw] EBMUD Board Meetings tomorrow--water pricing!
From: "Steve Bilson" <stevebilson at rewater.com>
Date: Mon, April 13, 2009 7:23 pm
To: "'Sonia Diermayer'" <sodier at mindspring.com>,
<ca-standard at graywater.org>
Cc: 'Juliet Lamont' <jlamont at creekcats.com>

I'm starting to see a lot of tangential matters discussed on the
greywater/org tool. While those other matters are important to water
conservation, we need to stay focused and actively engaged on the state
greywater irrigation code revision process. Looking back on California's
history, this opportunity only comes around once every 14 years or so.

-----Original Message-----
From: ca-standard-bounces at graywater.org
[mailto:ca-standard-bounces at graywater.org <http://email.secureserver.net/pcompose.php#Compose> ] On Behalf Of Sonia Diermayer
Sent: Monday, April 13, 2009 5:00 PM
To: ca-standard at graywater.org
Cc: Juliet Lamont
Subject: [ca-gw] EBMUD Board Meetings tomorrow--water pricing!
Importance: High

The underpricing of water is a key impediment for all water 
conserving strategies/technologies.
If you are in EBMUD's service area this may interest you!

EBMUD Board Special Meetings (both meetings have impacts on future 
water pricing and both include public comment periods)--
Tues, Apr 14:
1) 8:30am, re: Drought Management Program (see staff report at this 
link)--
https://portal.ebmud.com/about_ebmud/board_of_directors/ 
board_meetings/special_meeting_agenda/staff_reports/ 
041409_drought_workshop_staff_reports.pdf

2) 9:30am, re: Budget and Rates (info about 2010/2011 rates 
interspersed throughout this report)--
https://portal.ebmud.com/about_ebmud/board_of_directors/ 
board_meetings/special_meeting_agenda/staff_reports/ 
041409_budget_rates_staff_reports.pdf

Hope to see others there to speak up for steeper, tiered water rates!
Sonia
Sierra Club SF Bay Chapter Water Committee

As per Juliet Lamont (Sierra Club):
************************************************************************ 
**********************************************
Let's "urge EBMUD to implement aggressive, progressive (e.g. tiered) 
pricing mechanisms (NOT just in droughts!) similar to - or better 
than - Irvine County Ranch District's 5-tier system, where "water 
wasters" at the top levels really get dinged with high prices. This 
is combined with a base level ("water conserver") rate, which allows 
everyone to get a basic amount of water at an affordable rate...but 
anything above that, you are going to start paying, and pay more 
exponentially as your use goes up the tier curve. Fifth (top) tier 
is very expensive.

This program has been extremely successful in promoting water 
conservation in the Irvine Ranch District's area (conservative 
southern CA), and has been very popular with consumers, thanks to an 
excellent PR and education/outreach program implemented along with 
the tiered rates. So, fully possible!

We should be doing at LEAST that here. Water is too cheap!!!"
************************************************************************ 
*************************************************
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