With rising water prices and ongoing droughts, people are looking for effective ways to save water. One possible solution gaining popularity across the nation is found right in your home: graywater.
Graywater is wastewater that originates from a washing machine, bathtub, shower or sink, and is collected separately from sewage. Wastewater coming from a kitchen sink, dishwasher or toilet is “black water,” and should not be reused in or around the home because of its high organic waste content.
As an alternative to potable water, graywater is excellent for household gardening, composting and lawn and landscape irrigation, because it does not require extensive chemical or biological treatment.
A growing number of states have adopted policies that promote graywater irrigation systems. Long Beach, Calif., has a pilot program called Laundry to Landscape. The program encourages residents to conserve resources by using water from their washing machines in backyard irrigation systems for trees, shrubs and gardens. Laundry to Landscape also promotes awareness of water efficiency and conservation—ideas that are becoming more relevant each day. In Arizona, users can receive tax credits for graywater systems. New Mexico allows homeowners to use up to 250 gallons of graywater a day for irrigation without a permit.
Recapturing and irrigating with graywater is as simple as putting a bucket in the shower while you wait for the water to warm up, and then pouring the bucket out in the garden. A more efficient way is to divert graywater from a drainage system and into a storage tank. The water can then be filtered and pumped or gravity-fed into an irrigation system (you should store graywater for no more than 24 hours, or it will become black water).
A simple graywater irrigation system may be comprised of a three-way valve, PVC pipe, poly tubing and a diverter valve for creating zones. The outside pipe should be placed below the ground surface; graywater cannot be sprayed over landscapes because of the risk of it entering a person’s body. Pipe can be placed underneath mulch, preserving the landscape’s aesthetic appearance.
Some states require a permit for graywater systems, and others do not, so check your state’s codes. When you use graywater for irrigation, you can help to save both money and water. Going gray can be one of many ways for us to go green.