2023 Colorado Revised Statutes › Title 25 - PUBLIC HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENT (§§ 25-1-101 — 25-59-106) › ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL (§§ 25-6.5-101 — 25-18.9-105) › Article 8 - WATER QUALITY CONTROL (§§ 25-8-101 — 25-8-1008) › Part 2 - WATER QUALITY CONTROL COMMISSION (§§ 25-8-201 — 25-8-210) › Section 25-8-205.3 - [Effective 1/1/2026] Exemption from control regulations for graywater research - definition

(1)
Subject to the conditions set forth in subsection (2) of this section, a water utility, an institution of higher education in Colorado, or a public or private entity that a water utility or an institution of higher education in Colorado contracts with to conduct graywater research on the utility's or institution's behalf may collect, treat, and use graywater in a manner that departs from the requirements of the commission's control regulations, as promulgated pursuant to section
25-8-205 (1)(g)
, for the purpose of conducting scientific research on the collection, treatment, and use of graywater.
(2)
A person collecting, treating, or using graywater pursuant to this section:
(a)
Shall collect and use the graywater in accordance with the terms and conditions of the decrees, contracts, and well permits applicable to the use of the source water rights or source water and any return flows;
(b)
Shall utilize a graywater treatment works system that incorporates a secondary water supply, such as a municipal water supply, to provide an alternative source of water if any portion of the system does not function properly; however, this subsection (2)(b) does not apply to scientific research involving the use of graywater exclusively for irrigation purposes;
(c)
[Repealed by 2024 Amendment.]
(d)
May use the graywater for a nonpotable beneficial use including irrigation or toilet flushing if such use is tied to the purpose of the person's scientific research;
(e)
Must comply with
45 CFR 46
and other applicable statutes and regulations for scientific research involving human exposure to graywater; and
(f)
On an annual basis, shall report to the water resources and agriculture review committee, created in section
37-98-102
, the results of periodic monitoring of the project conducted to assess:
(I)
The functioning of the graywater treatment works system used to collect graywater; and
(II)
For scientific research involving human exposure, the project's continued compliance with the requirements of the federal department of health and human services' regulations concerning the protection of human research subjects, codified in
45 CFR 46
.
(3)
Only an institution of higher education or a person contracting with an institution of higher education may collect, treat, and use graywater for research involving human exposure.
(4)
As used in this section, "scientific research involving human exposure" means a research study in which:
(a)
Empirical data is collected and analyzed about collection, treatment, or use of graywater; and
(b)
Humans participate as subjects in the study.
Amended by 2024 Ch. 277,§ 5, eff. 1/1/2026.
Amended by 2022 Ch. 59, § 4, eff. 8/10/2022.
Added by 2017 Ch. 199, § 3, eff. 8/9/2017.
L. 2017: Entire section added, (HB 17-1008), ch. 199, p. 723, § 3, effective August 9.
2024 Ch. 277, was passed without a safety clause. See Colo. Const. art. V, § 1(3).
This section is set out more than once due to postponed, multiple, or conflicting amendments.