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Grey/Gray Water Systems????

901 views 13 replies 8 participants last post by  muleskinner2 
#1 ·
This is probably my first real Homestead question. About two months ago I heard for the first time the term Gray Water from a plumber. My new to me retirement place I had a plumber come out and kinda survey my sewer system. There was an old trailer house with a wood frame addition but we had all that demo. Plumber came out and found the septic tank and also coming out of the ground at angle is a 1 1/2 pvc which had no ideal what it was for. The plumber said that this place had a grey water system which never heard of before till now.Don't have a clue where the other end goes but it was a working system. He kinda explain what it is and it does sound neat so I google grey water systems and read little about system. Since most that I read about is taking waste water from shower,clothes washing,bath sink to run outside to pipe over to trees or fruit trees. But not much from the kitchen sink nor dish washer,they said because of grease and I guess food. Well we have never had a disposal nor put grease down drain. So was wondering if there is another reason for not using kitchen sink and dish washer waste water for outside? Is there any websites that maybe has drawings and explains what can be done and what not to do? I like to run grey water over to fruit tree and maybe flower beds etc. I also want to grow tomatoes but I don't know about grey water? Maybe someone knows some links,websites,maybe place to look for material for a grey water system? Thanks for any direction to links,ideals,maybe pics of your system.
 
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#2 ·
I'm a fan of sorta chintzy sink drains and stuff. Just a pvc down from the sink with an elbow and out the wall. Put a flexible hose on it and you can direct it to your nearby fruit trees, garden beds, whatever. If you use mild or biodegradable soaps I wouldn't worry about the plants.

I live in the tropics where farmhouses have simple single wall construction with no insulation etc, so this is easier to pull off.

Not a fan of permanent buried "systems". They can get clogged, roots grow into them blah blah blah. Simple systems just pull the hose off and shake it out
 
#4 ·
Check your county's code. Some don't allow grey water systems, others do, but in a very specific way. Who knows what the fine might be.
 
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#5 ·
I have a grey water system from my laundry to an area out back where I have fruit trees growing. You will want to consider, if running from your kitchen sink or dishwasher, whether the detergent/bleach/etc. will kill the foliage it lands on. I almost never use bleach and I use a detergent that is okay for plants. Grey water systems from septics are illegal out here, and considered a big "no no" on anything that you would eventually eat, just because of the pathogens that we evacuate.
 
#6 ·
After watching few more Youtubes I now have little understanding.The Tubes were showing the gray water going into box that full of mulch to filter.The flower size box was planted next to bed for the fruit trees. It was pretty neat how they ran 1' pipe then split run over to couple other fruit trees. Just wanted to get ya'll though's on this cause it is new to me. I do plan on having small garden with basics such as tomato's and peppers, etc.
 
#7 ·
Grey water systems do not include discharge from kitchen sinks. Even if you don't pour grease down the drain, washing dishes makes the water too greasy.

For a handbasin, shower or laundry discharge you can design a simple grey water system with filter. You need an initial settling chamber, then a gravity flow through some filter medium. Sand can work, but probably would need to be backwashed periodically. Some systems use wood chips as the filter medium. I like that idea, because you could burn or compost them every few months fairly easily. After the filter medium the grey water should drain to a bed of non-edible plants.
 
#11 ·
After the filter medium the grey water should drain to a bed of non-edible plants.
The Paw,does that mean no tomatoes or fruit trees? There were couple Youtubes saying nothing edible but most said yes to fruit trees.
One of the Youtubes was about dealing with smell which included what The Paw said would need filtering system which they use mulch which attracted worms which is what killed the smell.

The Paw? I remember an episode on The Monkeys was name The Paw
 
#8 ·
Everything from my sinks, both bathroom and kitchen, shower, and washing machine all run out to my back yard under two big cedar trees. This is the greenest spot on the place. The grass and weeds are three feet tall, the birds all drink and bathe in the little puddle at the end of the pipe.
 
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