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March 12, 2010  |  Login
Whole-House Graywater Systems
By Eric Corey Freed
 

An extensive graywater system consists of dedicated pipes collecting drainwater from bathtubs, showers, sinks, and washing machines. This water is stored and treated in a large tank.

Because of the food waste, the wastewater from kitchen sinks and dishwashers is considered to be heavily contaminated and isn’t included in a graywater system. Like the water from the toilet, this waste is instead sent to the sewer or septic system.

Warning: Because of the amount of extra plumbing required to make this system work, installing one into an existing home is not usually feasible or cost effective.

So what do you do with all this graywater now that you’ve collected it? The ideal place to use graywater is in your toilet. You don’t need to flush your toilets with clean, drinking water; graywater does the trick just fine.

Most of the permitted uses of graywater are for irrigating your yard (see the figure below). Graywater is directed to a tank buried below ground, where tiny microorganisms in the soil purify it as they water the plants. Because all this happens below ground, there is little risk of people coming into contact with the graywater directly.

 

Caution: What Not to Throw Down The Drain with a Graywater System

Be aware of what you can put down the drain when you’re using a graywater system. If you plan to reuse graywater in the garden, pay attention to the following:

  • Clothes washers: Avoid using phosphate-based detergents and high amounts of bleach.
  • Bathtubs and showers: Avoid petroleum-based lotions, soaps, shampoos, and fragrances. Natural and herbal products are best.
  • Sinks: Oil, grease, dish detergent, and phosphate-based soaps can kill your plants
 
 

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