By Hana Baba, KALW Crosscurrents
You may have walked by the beautiful green plants growing outside the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission on Polk Street and not thought much about them. But these plants get their nourishment from our waste.
Along the outer perimeter of the building, there are rectangular planters that are irrigated by reused waste water, or “black water.” Black water includes toilet water, urinal water, bathroom and sink water.
The plants also work to treat the water as it flows through them by absorbing the nutrients in the waste. After treatment comes disinfection with ultraviolet lights and chlorine. Then, the water is redirected back to the bathroom for reuse.
Paula Kehoe, the Director of Water Resources at the commission, said they have saved 65 percent of their water as a result of this process.
Read the complete story at KALW Crosscurrents.
