using greywater/graywater

[milkmansdaughter]

This recently came up on another thread. I searched, but couldn't find other threads on this. Thanks @Mini Horses for the suggestion, and my apologies if it's already a thread.

Does anyone else use greywater? Is it legal in your state? I'd love to see pictures of your setup, and how you use it. Thanks!

Here's one article I found looking it up:
https://www.motherearthnews.com/green-homes/home-design/greywater-zm0z11zphe

 

[NH Homesteader]

No but we want to... I assume it's legal here, NH is pretty lax in general, but I haven't looked into it.

 

[milkmansdaughter]

Another site. One of the links on this site covers greywater mistakes, which I thought was interesting. It also covers some of the different state laws.
http://oasisdesign.net/greywater/

 

[milkmansdaughter]

This link shows a map of the US states that allow greywater use, and the state's that either don't allow it or don't have specific regulations in place:

https://greywateraction.org/greywater-codes-and-policy/

@NH Homesteader on this link, scroll down. It breaks it up by state. It looks like NH is one of the states that treats greywater like sewer water, but I'm not sure how up to date the article is.

 

[milkmansdaughter]

How to reuse your laundry rinse water to save on water bills - this system let's you reuse the rinse water to wash clothes:

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Make-a-Laundry-Water-Recycler-Gray-Water-S/

 

[Mini Horses]

AND -- if you pay for water - metered - this also saves $$$

 

[milkmansdaughter]

Lol, that's probably the real reason behind all the regulations. It always seems to come down to $$$$

 

[Britesea]

We don't USE the greywater, specifically, but when we bought the house the laundry and kitchen sink were already set up to drain out along the fence line in back and we have a HUGE wild rose hedge growing all along it. I've made several batches of rose petal jelly and rose hip jam from them.

 

[sumi]

When we lived in S.A. we used nearly all our grey water for the garden. Washing water, dishwater, bathwater… We just let it sit and cool down a bit, when needed, then off the plants it went. It's amazing how much water you use for those few household tasks and needs daily and how big a garden you can sustain on what would otherwise be wasted.

 

[Mini Horses]

A HUGE amount of greywater goes into the sewer...septic or otherwise. It is not always easy to trap it all in today's already built houses. The laundry is often the easiest due to the actual hose from the washer. Kitchen sink would be next most isolated and accessible.

As to the recycle of laundry water article -- my grandmother recycled Two big tubs! Heated some water on a wood stove to wash in one tub (with a wash board), rinse in other. You started with light colors, ended with dark (usually dirtier jeans). After all the week's laundry, they rarely carried it to the garden! Besides, garden was a couple acres.

Talk about recycle......at it's finest. Yep, just a wringer was the bees knees for her!