The Accidental Entrepreneur, Saving San Diego One Roof at a Time

Brook Sarson claims to not be a business person. Nor a plumber, or a landscape architect, for that matter. She's just someone who cares deeply about the lack of smart water resources in San Diego county and wants to spread the word to home-owners and city officials alike. It turns out the best way to do that, however, is by founding and operating the only rainwater catchment and greywater recycling company in Southern California. It's not a role she thought she'd find herself in, but the one she's undertaken since January 2009.

I met Brook at one of her client's houses in Mission Hills, San Diego, where she was about to install three rainwater tanks, one holding 200 gallons, one 750 gallons, and one 1000 gallons. She laments that city officials refuse to promote rainwater harvesting as a viable option in the drought-prone region, despite some simple math that shows a 1,000 sq ft roof (a modest house size in the area) can catch 600 gallons in 1 inch of rain, and in a common dry year the city will see at least 10 to 11 inches of rainfall. That's certainly enough water to reasonably supplement backyard gardens. This particular house recently underwent the installation of greywater recycling, as well. Since the city lifted bans on greywater systems, making it easier for homeowners to install their own simple systems, visibility for the process has increased, but education has not, Brook says. With her own clients, much of the consultation is also guiding them through the safe and unsafe uses (lawns are a particular no-no), as well as safe and unsafe cleaning products (the list of solutions with too much sodium shocked me).

Ideally, Brook would love for there to be much more 'competition' in this arena. She sees no reason why every plumber in Southern California isn't liscenced and educated on greywater systems and adding it to their offerings. With only an occassional open-house, she has more inquiries than she can currently keep up with. Surprisingly, she doesn't think the details are her real calling - she's happy leaving them to the experts - instead she sees herself a spokesperson for the movement and hopes to engage city officials in spreading the ideas of water reuse to their constituents. Until then, though, she has no problem getting her hands dirty and laying the lines herself.

Brook's next open house is Saturday, December 5, 2009. Visit http://www.h2o-me.com for more information.

photo: Brook Sarson with homeowner and client Holly, in San Deigo's Mission Hills.