California’s Drought Spurring Water Recycling at Home

Showering during California’s drought is a guilt-free experience for homeowners Catarina Negrin and Noah Friedman

In this photo provided by Karen Jenkins, her husband, Rick Jenkins, poses for a photo in the front yard at their home in Gilroy, Calif., Wednesday, May 27, 2015. AP Photo/Karen Jenkins

BERKELEY, Calif.—Showering during California’s drought is a guilt-free experience for homeowners Catarina Negrin and Noah Friedman.

The Berkeley couple — she runs a pre-school, he’s an architect — are early adopters of a home plumbing do-over that’s becoming more popular during California’s record four-year dry stretch.

California, like many states, long required all water used in homes to be piped out with the sewage, fearing health risks if water recycling is done clumsily.

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