expensive," he said. "That's the current law. But it may be wise in the future to try and start thinking about separating gray water from sewage."

Recently, the Town of Boone amended its Water and Sewer Ordinance to permit the use of gray water as a conservation method.

The research salon for Swinson's project is Haircut 101 located in downtown Boone.

The research team will collect water from the shampoo bowls in the salon and analyze the chemicals and amount of water entering the waste stream. They will then run the salon's gray water through a living system modified from a system originally constructed as part of the university's biofuels project at State Farm Road.

Swinson is working with students from several different academic departments on the project, including chemistry, appropriate technologyand interior design.

Phase 1 of the EPA P3 grant involves researching and developing the sustainable design and providing proof of concept feasibility. In April 2012, Swinson and other Phase 1 recipients from across the U.S. will compete for a second round of funding that would enable the interdisciplinary team to implement the design at Haircut 101 and demonstrate a creative alternative to treatment of gray water at a waste treatment plant.

"Passing the gray water through this constructed wetland purifies the water," Houser said. "We will test the water before and after it passes through the living system to see if contaminants are being removed. Toxicology studies on the plants will allow us to see at what point they are negatively affected."

Swinson hopes to turn what she learns into