The Water-Wise Home

December 15, 2014
Allen, cofounder of Greywater Action, a collaborative that educates those building sustainable water culture and infrastructure, outlines the U.S. water shortfall, along with techniques for saving and reusing water for the benefits of trees, wildlife, and one’s bank account. The average American family uses 400 gallons of water a day. Homeowners who want to conserve can get their feet wet in the essentials of drought-proofing the home, understanding the failures in current municipal water systems, and installing pipes for house waste as well as rainwater. The author explains how to determine the faults in one’s home water-delivery system before immersing the reader in the less appealing aspects of water conservation (sharing bath water or converting the swimming pool into a harvesting tank). Complete instructions are offered for using rain barrels, tanks, and cisterns, before moving on to more complicated processes, such as installing an indoor gray-water greenhouse with a composting toilet. Awash with information, the beginner may feel a bit intimidated by the prospect of fertilizing with urine by book’s end, but the projects address all skill levels and degrees of commitment.

February 15, 2015
Although the looming water shortage crisis hasn't yet reached the fever pitch of coverage in the media that climate change has, reports from California and other parts of the U.S. about lingering droughts have understandably begun to make people nervous. To ease the angst a little and provide sound and seasoned advice on how to conserve water, environmental science expert Allen has crafted a user-friendly guidebook that covers every angle of home water use and plumbing. In addition to steering readers through the basics of setting up composting toilets and rainwater catchment systems, the author also covers the installation of a piping system that makes invaluable use of greywater; that is, water from showers, sinks, and washing machines that would otherwise go down the drain. Allen shows how greywater diversion can irrigate plants and trees, and she provides critical advice on appeasing skeptical neighbors and health authorities. Essential reading for anyone hoping to cut down on rising water bills and water supply concerns, and a must acquisition for libraries with an ample collection of do-it-yourself manuals.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)