Question about collection of gray water (more)?

Question

I'd like to start conserving water and I've heard about gray water as a recycling tool. I'd love to do it, but can't figure out an effective way to collect bathwater and laundry water to use for lawn watering. Apart from taking gallon containers and dunking them in the water to fill them, then dumping the 20 or more it would take to empty the tub and washer, I can't figure out a way to do this!

So, help please! And what can I use? I know I can't use toilet water, but I'm guessing I can use sink, bath and laundry water - anything else?

Thanks!

Answer 1

I have a grey water system. You allow your grey water to accumulate in a covered container with a sump pump in side. the tall ones with the floating ball are best. when your water reaches a certain level the sump pump will automatically start up a;nd discchage. There is limited pressure so usually you can not us a sprinkler head of any kind. You will need to add 4./5 drops of Chlorox for every gallon at lleast once a week to keepp the things from turning green. I use dishwasher, washingmachine and condenser water in my sytem. laundry water is ok but I would hesitate to use bath water. make sure you do it in such a way as to be 'cool" about about it, I am not aware of any place that grey wther is an acceptale discharge.

Answer 2

You can treat greywater for use but be careful. I have inluded a sitethat has a greywater treatment system.

When treated properly, greywater is of sufficient quality to use on gardens and landscapes but it is important to remember that greywater contains impurites and microorganisms that are capable of causing disease and illness.

A recent study carried out by the Queensland Department of Natural Resources, Mines and Energy covering the quality of domestic greywater found that greywater has organic strength and harmful organisms equal to and in some instances greater than toilet waste.

Many substances used for cleaning and washing are designed to be treated in a sewage treatment plant. The term "biodegradable" means the product is able to be degrade in a wastewater treatment plant where the established bacterial community will quickly metabolize these compounds. However, such substances will still degrade elsewhere, but the timeframe may be longer. Laundry wastewater can contain harmful organisms such as E.coli and diseases such as Hepatitis, which can remain in the correct ground conditions for extended periods of time. [verification needed] In general, it is difficult for human pathogens to remain viable for long periods in the soil , owing to the existing competitive bacterial community.

Uncontrolled release of greywater, with its associated nutrient load, could find its way into storm water drainage systems and streams causing algal blooms and disruption of ecosystems.

Importantly, sensible precautions can mitigate almost entirely the risk associated with greywater use. In order for disease transmission, people have to contact (by aerosol or directly) the greywater. If the greywater is applied by dripper systems or by subsurface delivery, this cannot occur. Avoiding greywater use, particularly by spraying, on vegetables eaten raw is recommended.