Question on grey water....

MERRYMEDIC · #1 04/21/07, 02:21 PM

If we chose to use composting toilets and route the grey water towards woods or something could I still use my washing machine if I used biodegradeable or natural soaps? Or is this too much water to dispurse on the ground? I live with a toddler and my elderly uncle so we don't use a bunch of water. I am having trouble affording a septic system. And if I used biodegradeable soaps in everything could I use the water on my garden? I am sorta new to all of this, but we are trying. Thanks for any help you can give.

prairiedog · #2 04/21/07, 02:45 PM

You can water with the grey water I would avoid bleach in quanity but the rest is fine

farmergirl · #3 04/21/07, 02:49 PM

The only water than runs to our septic is from the two indoor toilets and the kitchen sink (we have no dishwasher). The washing machine, the two showers, two bathroom sinks and bathtub all drain out to the yard. I use non-toxic soaps and have had no problems with the water hurting anything, including my chickens and ducks who sometimes bathe in and drink it

MERRYMEDIC · #4 04/21/07, 02:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by farmergirl

The only water than runs to our septic is from the two indoor toilets and the kitchen sink (we have no dishwasher). The washing machine, the two showers, two bathroom sinks and bathtub all drain out to the yard. I use non-toxic soaps and have had no problems with the water hurting anything, including my chickens and ducks who sometimes bathe in and drink it

Can the kitchen sink water run onto ground also?

The Paw · #5 04/21/07, 03:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MERRYMEDIC

Can the kitchen sink water run onto ground also?

Kitchen sink water is usually categorized as "black" water rather than grey water, because of the the high amount of grease from dishwashing. So, it would be preferable if you could push it through a sand filter or something.

farmergirl · #6 04/21/07, 03:19 PM

Yes and no. I have known a few people who run their kitchen water as grey water. Problem is the grease and animals wastes (if you eat meat) tend to gunk up the lines and can also attract vermin. Plus, sometimes I'm washing raw meat juice off a cutting board and I wouldn't want my animals eating that.

Mid Tn Mama · #7 04/21/07, 03:22 PM

Kitchen water is fine. Just wash the girl scout way. Scrape the plate clean, then wash. I don't use any particular type of detergent and have had no problems. Just keep going to different places if you are worried. If you have toilets, the greywater can be used to flush the toilet.

MERRYMEDIC · #8 04/21/07, 04:19 PM

Luckily my elderly uncle is my house keeper and he is a fanatic about scraping and wiping out all plates before he washes them. He even does my laundry since I work 12 hour days.

FalconDance · #9 04/21/07, 04:25 PM

One year, I drained off my kitchen water in the summer (disconnect the trap and drain directly into a 5 gal bucket) to water the garden. Used bio-degradable soap, of course. One of the best, pest-free gardens ever! The *only* problem that year was the mouse that kept sampling the cantalopes at night

.

~Falcon

ET1 SS · #10 04/21/07, 09:57 PM

I have never heard of anyone linking kitchen with black water, all Motorhomes plumb the kitchen and all sinks as grey-water. Only the toilet is black-water.

In our home the toilet is the only black-water. Everything else is grey-water. Black-water goes to the septic tank and leech-field, grey-water goes into the forest.