Greywater, especially from the washing machine, is often kept out of the septic system to extend its life. Diverting some greywater from failing septic systems can be helpful and is a common practice in rural areas. Additionally, there are systems that can transform water inside the septic tank into irrigation quality water, which can be sent through a […]
Access to greywater can be lost when pipes enter a concrete slab foundation. If your house is on a concrete foundation you still have some greywater options. Use the greywater from your washing machine, as you can access it with out needing to alter the plumbing. Use greywater from sinks. It is often possible to […]
If you’re building a new house, or doing a full plumbing remodel, you may want to combine all your greywater into one line, and then have a collection tank and pump to distribute it more widely to your landscape. In retrofit situations it doesn’t usually make sense to combine all the greywater pipes together because […]
As greywater is not clean enough for safe human contact, it should not be used directly for a pond or any other type of water feature (fountains, waterfalls, creeks, etc.). A pond of greywater will not only smell bad, it could be a health hazard if someone, like a child, played with it and drank […]
A standard plumber has the skills to perform the inside portion of your greywater system. They have the skills to cut in a 3-way diverter valve to the drain pipe of your showers or sinks, and can send the pipe outside. However, most plumbers are not familiar with 3-way diverter valves because they are typically […]
There are two main rules to follow to protect the environment. Send nothing toxic down the drain. Do not allow greywater to enter a fresh water source, like a creek, stream, or river, or high groundwater table. Biodegradable material will compost on the land, but will contaminate a creek. Nutrients will fertilize plants on land, […]
There are three things to keep in mind to protect public health when using greywater. Do not allow greywater to pool or pond; this creates habitat for mosquitoes and a place for people to contact the water. Ensure greywater soaks into the ground and does not run off into neighboring properties or places people could […]
Most water softeners use salts to bind with the metals in the water and make the water “soft.” This kind of water is not suitable to be reused outside as it is high in salt and can harm plants and soil. Alternatives to sodium water softeners are potassium softeners. Depending on the level of hardness […]
Dishwashers are not usually a good sources of greywater because the detergents for dishwashers are typically high in salt, which is harmful to plants and soils. If you are able to find a dishwasher detergent that does not have salt or boron in it, then the greywater can be reused. If you don’t have a […]
A siphon uses gravity and atmospheric pressure to move greywater outside. In order for this to work the landscape outside must be lower in elevation than the bottom of the tub. There are several ways to siphon greywater out of a bathtub. You can also read an article from Grist that shares several products on the market […]