Gray Water

Milhaus

Has anyone ever installed a gray water system for water conservation? I'm looking at tackling a little guest house and I'm curious about it. I want to make this place as self-contained as I can.

From what I understand, you tie the sinks, shower/tub, and washer into into their own line to a storage tank and then you use that water to water flowers/lawn etc. I'm sure you'd have to pay attention to what you use for detergents, but I think it would take care of the wastewater. I'll have some sort of compostable toilet so that will take care of the other problem -what do you do with the poo.

KillerToiletSpider

You are building a breeding ground for disease.

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A flush is better than a full house.

Patrick

Thats Fu%^ing disgusting

Moscow

I have allowed some gray water in the city however you have to remember that a gary water system is like a leach field you can not use it for irragation. Look in appendix G of the UPC 2003 it will give you all the guid lines you will have to follow. The house that they put the gray water in loves it he ran his drain lines under his back yard trees and never has to water them. Make sure you have lots of land to use the graywater your avarage lot will not support a gray water system.
Justin

MechanicalDVR

I have done several gray water jobs (cabins, lodges,etc) they work out fine. As for the toilets, most of the more remote ones have been electric, some of the not so remote have been propane. Look into them, they solve many problems.

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100% Union and Proud of It

Milhaus

thanks for the info...and for you disgusted folks...it's not going to be a shatfield in a little closet, it will probably be cleaner than your house. Look into some time, it's pretty cool.

Chris Johnson

I read an article on grey water for city homes, it was from Montreal Canada, they used the water from the laundry, shower and sinks, went into a storage tank where it was treated with a minimal amount of bleach then sent on to feed the toilets and irrigation. Don't know much about it, but they made one valid point (I think), you are normally using treated water for human consumption in the toilets and to water the lawn, apparently lawns aren't that fussy and potable water in a toilet is no longer potable once it enters (made sense to me). The only complaint from consumers was if you did a load of darks the toilet bowl had light blue water in it!! Health Canada has concerns about kids playing in toilets (I guess it happens) and dogs drinking from the toilet (We all know that happens). The kids I see a concern with, the dogs, well, dogs are smart enough to smell things prior to ingesting and if it don't smell right they leave it alone, mind you look how dogs greet each other, a little bit of diluted bleach water might just cure that bad breath they normally have!!

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Chris

vans

I'm in the process of designing new buiding, we plan to collect rain water in a holding tank and use that for irrigation, also for water conservation their are fixtures you can install-1.1 gallon flush stool, aerators etc.

y0manda

I am building a detached garage with a laundry and installing a gray water system. My city approves it, but must see a detailed plot plan where the lines will be. Moscow is correct check the appendix G of the UPC 2003 it will even show you what size lines need to be used and how to draw the plot plan for it. Good luck!

Milhaus

Thanks for the tips! I'll check it out..