Grey-water recycling....

[jeramiez]

ok, is it 'grey' or 'gray' LOL

Anyway, I've been thinking about the idea of grey-water recycling, i.e. using filtered water from showers, sinks, and laundry to water gardens, flush toilets, etc...

I was wondering if anyone has used this concept and how....

While perusing the web, I find that some say you can use it to flush toilets and get a double 'bang for your buck' out of the water before it ends up in your septic, but others say it "pollutes" toilet water and allows for buildup....  (if you have hard water or well water, I fail to see how a bit of soap and such could make the toilets harder to clean or less potable ((I don't frequently drink from the john))... but I'm not a water expert!)

Any experience or thoughts would be appreciated....

Jeramie

[peternap]

You have to be careful with Gray water. If contained for any period it becomes just as septic as the black water. I send mine to a gray water island where it waters several trees, bushes and flowers. I do not use it for watering food crops.

[considerations]

"ok, is it 'grey' or 'gray'"

Its both - depending on whether you use American English (gray the color) or English English (grey the colour).  

"Anyway, I've been thinking about the idea of grey-water recycling, i.e. using filtered water from showers, sinks, and laundry to water gardens, flush toilets, etc"

I can't speak to the recycling of grey water for the purposes you propose.  What I will mention is that my grey water target is a constructed wetland, designed to filter the water to the point where it can go into the environment in general and cause no harm.  In order to accomplish that, and not clog up the wetland, I need to install a trap (think mini-septic tank) to capture the grease and particulate.  Cleaning the trap will be a maintenance requirement.

[MountainDon]

Peter is right. Most locations that permit gray water reuse do not permit the storage of the gray water. It can become "black" when stored. And many locations will not consider kitchen sink water to be gray at all; they call it black because of the food particles.

[peternap]

"ok, is it 'grey' or 'gray'"

Its both - depending on whether you use American English (gray the color) or English English (grey the colour).  

"Anyway, I've been thinking about the idea of grey-water recycling, i.e. using filtered water from showers, sinks, and laundry to water gardens, flush toilets, etc"

I can't speak to the recycling of grey water for the purposes you propose.  What I will mention is that my grey water target is a constructed wetland, designed to filter the water to the point where it can go into the environment in general and cause no harm.  In order to accomplish that, and not clog up the wetland, I need to install a trap (think mini-septic tank) to capture the grease and particulate.  Cleaning the trap will be a maintenance requirement.

There are commercial grease traps but I made mine. I think I got the plans or at least the idea from the Greywater Gorillas. Do a search for them.
They are a group of scofflaws who put the environment above local laws.

Saved you the trouble:
http://greywateraction.org/

[glenn kangiser]

A great book I got from Amazon -Art Ludwig is a pro with greywater use.

http://www.amazon.com/New-Create-Oasis-Greywater-Choosing/dp/0964343398/ref=pd_sim_b_1

and cleaning greywater with reeds - looks like cattails to me - in India for a rice paddy on the roof.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88gb3QWA7i0

[OlJarhead]

I'm installing a graywater system myself.  I'll try to find the link for the company I purchased from (inexpensive) however I'm not using septic at all -- I'm using a composting toilet.

For my initial system I'm installing a settling tank and drain tank/field to allow the graywater to drain into the environment.  If done correctly it is actually good for trees and plants of various kinds.  The cleaning supplies you use normally are often not harmful if disposed of correctly.

To clarify, graywater is what comes out of your sink, shower and washer ONLY and it can kill bacteria in your septic tank.  It is actually better NOT to allow the graywater to go into the septic tank if it can be helped.

In the future I plan to install a gray water drain field to water fruit trees but I've got a ton of work on my plate now as it is!

[OlJarhead]

http://thenaturalhome.com/greywater.html
That's where I purchased our graywater system...

[jeramiez]

Thank you all for your input... Lots to research to do and consider here....
Thank you for all the links, not much more to say until I pour through all those...

First got the idea from a show I caught called 'green matters' or something... it's on ION and out of Canada and shows all these green living ideas, one episode was about this 'thing' you could put in your house, kinda looked like a water heater, but was a grey water reuse system...  but even they said not to use it to flush toilets... LOL

Leech fields separate from septic to replenish local water supplies or greenhouse seems like the most probable reuse off the top of the head and before researching the mentioned links....

I'll let you know my thoughts and questions after I dive more into the topic....

Thanks again!

[Texas Tornado]

So why not set up a Lagoon?

[jeramiez]

lagoon?

open to that... if you wouldn't mind expanding on the idea... I'd be open to hear more....

[Texas Tornado]

http://www.wastewater.com/lagoon_systems.htm
This explains better than I can...

http://incolor.inetnebr.com/southwick/lagoonsystems.html