Grey-water recycling

[tubeswell]

NZ North island is under a declared drought this summer. There's a total outdoor watering ban in place in Wellington. But they say you can re-use washing machine wastewater to water your garden, so after a quick trip to the local DYI store, here's my new grey-water recycling unit ($50 worth of bits and pieces and 1/2 hour to make and install (including the wooden platform)

The parts


Drainage tap installed


Showing where the washing machine drain is to be cut


Greywater recycling storage installed

[Enzo]

Well very cool.
Nice work.

Although it does look a little cramped to shower in.

I am all for that sort of effort. I live out in rural America where we draw the water from the ground, and return it to the ground when we are done with it. Surrounded by swampy areas, the water table will never go away. But the house still has a septic system for the bathroom, and the kitchen drains into a separate drywell system.

[Blue Monster 65]

Nice! Are you in a rural area, too, Tubes?

[tubeswell]

Nah we are in town. The entire NI has had no rain since early February. The whole town has less than 20 days water supply left. Might have to move to Taupo if this keeps up.

NZ about this time last year


NZ last week

[Arneb]

Wow, that looks scary! all the best man!

[tubeswell]

Drought broke today - 19mm of rain fell in the garden. But the new contraption is still hooked up doing its thing.

[Lianachan]

Is the water treated in any way? (No Enzo, not like that)

Isn't it full of soap/detergents and things that probably won't do the garden any good?

[Enzo]

Hey! What's that supposed to mean??? I use soap. Really I do.


A long time ago I seem to recall that phosphates in soap were getting into our streams n causing excessive plant growth, clogging the waterways. Then I think they outlawed the phosphates in detergents. So now I have no idea what soap does. To the WATER... Working from memory, not Wiki, so I could be wrong.

[Мастер]

So now I have no idea what soap does.

Placebo.

[tubeswell]

I don't think there's anything harmful in the soapy water. But who knows?

[Lianachan]

I know the guidance published by the UK government says that it's ok for gardens for immediate use, but that it shouldn't be stored and used later without going through some treatment because of the detergents and organic matter in the water. But, as we all know, the UK government are notorious for talking shite all the time so, as you say, who knows.