Living Green(er) #11: Grey Water - Option 3

and I have just remembered that I picked up a small fountain “pond liner” at a garage sale last year for $2. I didn’t know what I was going to do with it . but now I do!

Now it is a matter of “where”.
Below the bathroom window is our oil tank (furnace fuel) and the septic tank. The one downspout from the eavestrough also leads into an underground tile system. I will have to be creative.

-- - Debbie, SW Ontario Canada (USDA Hardiness Zone: 5a)

I would set it up with a two way valve to divert back to the septic during winter months.

yes… septic system fall to spring.

-- - Debbie, SW Ontario Canada (USDA Hardiness Zone: 5a)

Have two bathing areas. One for warm months feeding your grey water salvage system, and the other for cold month via the septic system. This has always been a concern of mine with what you are doing. Municipal bylaws might have some consideration as well. Like you, I have often wondered how I could use the clean water from the bath. I can’t be running pipes and pumps in the bathroom. The “War Department” would not approve, and yet, it does bother me to be flushing such good water down the drain … and paying for sewage treatment as well, when I could be using the water for my daily watering.

Keep at it, MsDebbieP. I follow this with interest.

-- jroot ....... Southern Ontario .......... grow zone 5A ...................."Gardening is an exercise in optimism." ....... . . Author Unknown

I talked to a Dept of Health guy when he was inspecting a septic system next door. He told me the current method here is to have 2 systems. The black water that goes into the “septic”. And a gray water system that goes into a shallow drain field which is basically for evaporation which is just watering the lawn.

part of me questions the authority’s rules … do they come from not wanting to let go of past practices? or perhaps they are guided by corporate greed/consumerism? do they make the rules just because they can or just because of one random incident?

• it makes sense to reuse the water before sending it off to … wherever
• it makes sense that the grey water would have contaminates that need to be filtered out
• it makes sense that the longer the water sits, the more contaminated it becomes via bacteria growth
• it makes sense that you wouldn’t want to put the contaminated water directly onto plants you will eat

-- - Debbie, SW Ontario Canada (USDA Hardiness Zone: 5a)

I don’t know. they have been constantly changing the septic tank regs for 30 years. I believe a simple gravity flow system is nearly a thing of the past here. Of course there are million of people in the Seattle/Tacoma metro area using them without any sewer or treatment service. I’m really not sure what kind of problems have developed from that many septics in a relatively small area. Thank God you can drink the drippings out the end of a 50’ leech field ;-))

so much to learn; so far to go; so much to do and undo.

-- - Debbie, SW Ontario Canada (USDA Hardiness Zone: 5a)

Hopefully no redo ;-))

I see no problem using grey water to irrigate. If its only going to trees or flowers that I have no intention of consuming.
If it is to be stored, that’s a completely different set of struggles to deal with. Treating the water with chlorine is ok as long as the chlorine is removed by letting it sit in open air for 24 hrs. before using.
I’m interested to see what you come up with.

-- JTC

I’m pretty sure it is going to be the little “marsh” area. That will give us a double filtration process AND another little garden area to look at.

Now it’s just a matter of finding a spot for it to go… and wait for spring with the ground thaws.

-- - Debbie, SW Ontario Canada (USDA Hardiness Zone: 5a)

MsDebbieP, you must read up on what Prince Charles has done at Highgrove, his favourite personal house. He has done what you are contemplating. In fact, he’s taken it even further. Of course he has financial resources which you and I do not, but the finished product is admirable.

-- jroot ....... Southern Ontario .......... grow zone 5A ...................."Gardening is an exercise in optimism." ....... . . Author Unknown

oh how nice it is to be compared to royalty lol even if we are talking dirty bath water ;)

I will look it up. Thanks

-- - Debbie, SW Ontario Canada (USDA Hardiness Zone: 5a)

http://www.ciwem.org/policy-and-international/current-topics/water-management/reed-bed-wastewater-treatment.aspx
the reed bed system

-- - Debbie, SW Ontario Canada (USDA Hardiness Zone: 5a)

LOL They are filtering dirtier water than your bath water, for sure. The reed bed is a significant part of the process at Highgrove. Amazing plants.

-- jroot ....... Southern Ontario .......... grow zone 5A ...................."Gardening is an exercise in optimism." ....... . . Author Unknown

it sounds very impressive.

-- - Debbie, SW Ontario Canada (USDA Hardiness Zone: 5a)