Any home grey water recyclers here?

[MotoSook]

We do probably 3 loads of laundry every day 4-6 days a week. We have 5 boys!

I was researching grey water reuse and it looks like a good idea for our large family. If I just plumb the washer our to a mulch bed it would be great for my landscaping.

I'm also looking for ideas incase we buy a new house with a septic system. We'd definitely overwhelm the system with all the laundry.

Any real life experiences/feedback here?

[porsche4life]

My parents run the washer out on the ground most of the year. They only run it in to the septic system when it is below freezing outside. It works well. They just have a hose on the end and mom lays the hose where ever in the yard she wants some water.

[MotoSook]

I haven't considered the freezing issue.

[porsche4life]

It might not be a problem where you live. Dad just ran a piece of PVC through the wall of the house and put a hose connection on it.... In the winter mom puts the washer drain back into the normal place that drains it to the septic.

On a septic system be sure to use only liquid detergents in the washer and dish washer. The powder will cake up in the tank.

[VINMAN]

For some reason, using the water that my dirty underwear has been in, to water my vegetables, just do'nt sit well with me.....

[porsche4life]

We just use it on the grass

[BeyGon]

When I lived in Costa Rica all my gray water went to the plants, I had a rental and the shower and sink went directly to the plants, it seems they do well with that water. It seemed like a new idea to the people around me at the time but it worked great. I even had a garbage disposal unit and it seemed crazy to the locals, I thought it was great. My septic tank/system worked very good.

[MotoSook]

Yeah, you don't want to dump it on grounds where fruits and veggies are growing.

But for landscaping...

For some reason, using the water that my dirty underwear has been in, to water my vegetables, just do'nt sit well with me.....

[MotoSook]

I'd probably set up a manifold and valves to make changing the discharge location easy.

It might not be a problem where you live. Dad just ran a piece of PVC through the wall of the house and put a hose connection on it.... In the winter mom puts the washer drain back into the normal place that drains it to the septic.



On a septic system be sure to use only liquid detergents in the washer and dish washer. The powder will cake up in the tank.

[BeyGon]

Originally Posted by Soukus

Yeah, you don't want to dump it on grounds where fruits and veggies are growing.

But for landscaping...

Why not?

[MotoSook]

The wife said she read something about bacteria growth.

[stomachmonkey]

Great idea.

Wanted to do it in my last house but the layout made it really difficult.

Would have done the dishwasher, sinks and showers as well if I could have.

Way too much water going into the septic tank and the soaps/detergents are not conducive to good bacteria growth to promote breakdown. Plus save on the watering bill.

Win/win.

[Drdogface]

I just heard about powdered soap and the caking of the tank. Same for the dish washer...no powder. My Calcite filter and Water softener back wasy 3x per week. I need to pump that out to the back forty due to the salt content.

[porsche4life]

Dads water softener goes on the gravel drive as well. I think he made it almost 10yrs before having to have the tank pumped. That is a family of three though.

[Tobra]

Bacteria?

What you washin' there?

If you were worried about bugs, you could pump it into a black barrel in the sun and it would get plenty hot. For vegetables, I imagine the detergent would probably make them taste funny.

[Keith Perry]

Get some landscaping filter cloth and make a bag to collect the soap residue before it gets to your garden.

[cbush]

Check the local code as this is not allowed in some city/suburban areas.

[Jagshund]

I think most water companies would still charge sewage fees regardless of where you're pointing the discharge.

[Drdogface]

Scott, I'm pretty sure you're correct...it's based as a percentage of water consumption. I live on a septic system and between the laundry and back washing of the water softener we send a lot of water into that system. I just want to run the back wash water out the back into a pit to keep all that salt out of the system.

[wreckersteve]

If you are worried about washing machine overloading the septic, go to a hi eff washing machine. They use alot less water.