Another source of water not to waste

RustBeltCowgirl

Think about how much water runs down the drain from: the bathtub/shower, the various sinks and the washing machine. That's a lot during the course of a day.

https://morningchores.com/using-greywater-in-garden/

shllnzl

I drink a lot of water with ice, reverse osmosis water dispensed by my refrigerator. I had an ah-ha moment one day before I dumped the leftover water down the sink: I now dump the leftover water and/or ice into my plant watering can. This is the best water to use on my plants anyway -- traces of tea or stevia on ice cubes will not harm my plants. I, of course, don't water my plants with icy cold water.

I have not found a feasible way to capture my regular greywater.

RustBeltCowgirl

@shllnzl That I would have to do some extra research on. There has to be a method of diverting the drain flow.

Desiree

I read an article not too long ago, but enough that I can't remember where, that talked about new home construction exploring that exact concept. Diverting the grey water into holding tanks to be utilized for garden and lawn care. The article was talking about the south west coast and southern states as freezing in northern states would be a concern.

shllnzl

Mother Earth News magazine did a large article about greywater recovery sometime in the 1970s. Unfortunately, some time back I donated those collectible issues instead of keeping them.

karenjanicki

I had been interested in greywater a few years back but we don't have the capabilities where we are at now. I had heard that it required using specialized bath products in order to prevent contamination.

RustBeltCowgirl

https://community.thegrownetwork.com/discussion/comment/890435#Comment_890435

Well, in that case I might be able to look it up. I have one of their archive thumb drives.

RustBeltCowgirl

This one dates to 1984.

https://www.motherearthnews.com/diy/greywater-system-zmaz84jazloeck

I guess they borrowed their concept from NASA.

seeker.nancy - Central Texas

It usually requires a plumber, and I'm not sure if it can be done if you have a concrete slab. Best way is if the house was set up that way probably.

Torey

Check your local regulations. In BC all grey water is technically considered sewage and must be disposed of as such. It takes a bit of finagling (and not telling anyone) that you are setting up a grey water system. Its a bit of a dichotomy, though. While it is not technically legal, some cities recommend that you use dishwater to water your gardens when there are watering restrictions in place.

Definitely be careful of what chemicals you are using in a grey water system.

@karenjanicki There are environmentally friendly soaps and shampoos on the market that are fine for using in lawns and gardens.

karenjanicki

https://community.thegrownetwork.com/discussion/comment/890497#Comment_890497

Interesting. I didn't know it was illegal. Thanks for the heads up.