Growing up with grey water.

First of all, Santa Monica celebrity Andy Lauer is no stranger to danger.  His YouTube hosting reel video includes race car driving, but pioneering grey water reuse for his family in Santa Monica has never been a hazard.  Andy’s wife Melissa desired a big yard for the young children to recreate.  Andy sought an answer that didn’t require the family to move while also answering to the danger of water scarcity.  What happens when you take a shower, wash your hands in the sink, or run the laundry?  The water goes down the drain.  How to recycle the water and enjoy the benefits of guilt free landscaping?

A generation of play on a green grey water lawn

What if you could use reuse that grey water again?  Recycling water just made sense to Andy.  He researched available grants in Santa Monica and hired Kevin Poffenbarger of EPD to help form a plan.  EPD choose to utilize the EPIC system, as they had other successful installations using the product from ECS.  The system is lined to use every drop of water.

Stringent water saving techniques required by City.

Andy and Melissa discovered some grants available through Santa Monica that could help him create the ideal backyard for their young children.  As a result, opposition from city officials was met at first, until demonstrating how the system was safe and had no human exposure.  All the landscaping have grown in sand for nearly 15 years so far.

Meeting with Andy, EPD consultants and City officials at his Santa Monica property.

After 3 years of a successful backyard, Andy expanded the technique to their front yard as well.  There was more than enough grey water to sub-irrigate the entire property with the EPIC system.   All Showers, bath sinks and laundry water is recycled to sub-irrigate the property without any bad smells or salt buildup.  A filter screen maintains any lint.  The EPIC chambers used in the installation never clog and allow the grey water to spread evenly to provide moisture and nutrients to landscape plants, flowers, and vegetables.

ECS EPIC system for grey water reuse installed on level pads, Santa Monica, CA, 2003

Grey water garden and turf in backyard, Santa Monica, CA

Lawn of the Future.

Andy Lauer believes this can be the lawn of the future.  Going “green” doesn’t have to equal xeriscaping.  Having green landscape that recycles water saves Andy 60% on the water bill.  The EPIC green lawn cools the ambient air, while consequently reducing electrical demand from the air conditioner.  Andy believes in the cause so much that he founded his own grey water consultant service.  The Santa Monica Daily Press published an in depth article about the family’s grey water system in 2015.  We have linked to the article “Greywater keeps lawn green.”

carpenteria californica grown in EPIC system grey water sand hydroponics.