Cambridge, MA – A coalition promoting greywater reuse recently brought state and local officials on a tour of the 585 Kendall Square project in Cambridge. This was to see the large greywater reuse system being built on site to capture nearly all the rainfall in the building’s footprint and reuse it for things like toilet flushing, irrigation, and building cooling.
The coalition included UA Plumbers Local 12, the Greater Boston Plumbing Contractors Association (GBPCA), Plumbing Heating Cooling Contractors of Massachusetts, and the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials, working together to advance practical solutions to support water reuse in the Commonwealth. The coalition has continued to grow, and now includes partners like the Mass Rivers Alliance, Charles River Watershed Association, and Save the Alewife Brook.
Officials who joined the tour included Representative Marjorie Decker and Representative Mike Connolly of Cambridge, along with staff from the offices of Representative Joan Meschino, Representative Michelle Badger, Senator Brendan Crighton, Senator William Brownsberger, and Senator Sal DiDomenico.
“As climate change brings bigger and more frequent storms to our region, I am proud to support projects like this that save water and make our sewer systems more resilient,” said DiDomenico. “I am grateful for the plumbers in my district and across our state advocating for more sustainable and practical technology like the greywater systems here in Cambridge.”
The greywater system is being built by GBPCA signatory contractor JC Higgins and the licensed professionals of Plumbers Local 12. Walking through the site, attendees were able to see how the system collects, treats, and reuses water. Every component of a greywater system must meet strict standards, and proper installation is necessary to protect public health.
Current legislation around greywater usage includes House Bill #922 and Senate Bill #591, as well as a proposed Greywater Commission amendment to the Governor’s Environmental Bond Bill. These pieces of legislation aim to create a framework for expanding water reuse in Massachusetts.
