greywater system

[Anonymous]

I found a fantastic company called Waterwise Systems who fully installed their Greywater System for me!

I have wanted something like it for years but i never made a decision on which one to go with. I cant believe how simple it is compared to so many other things i was looking at doing.

All the water from my washing machine, shower and bath is slowly released into both my front and back gardens through underground drippers! I have had it for 6 months and my garden looks amazing! Plus i feel great about saving water..

If anyone is interested go to their website -www.waterwisesystems.com

[nick@off-grid.net]

Waterwise systems are not really recommended by most people who use them. I would advise people to stay awya from Waterwise systems. Email me if you want my recommnedations in your area, or write to the Drain Brain, but you can always search for water treatment in your area.

[Anonymous]

Whoa, Mr Key Master you can’t just dis something as simply as that without adding something to substantiate your claims. I have no idea about Waterwise but the theory sounds good and isn’t far from what I intended to do myself. I would appreciate a bit better explanation as to why YOU think this system is wrong, plus case histories. I am no intellectual but it was always explained to me that you give your sources when you state a fact.

Come on guys it’s not really helpful to simply state..”avoid product X as its crap” If we are ever to get off-grid technology into the mainstream we need a proper scientific approach to the subject and that precludes all petty arguments and simplistic retorts.

The average person is already confused enough by the governments and monopolies that tell us the global situation is probably not too serious so long as shareholder returns are maintained at a suitable level to facilitate future investments. How will we ever get innovation off the ground if all we get are unsubstantiated claims about the technology being developed.

BAD SHOW!!!!

Reveal your sources matey or hold your tongue.

[nick@off-grid.net]

the post by “Nicky-roxy” appears to be a simple product plug. So this is not a claim about technology – simply an advice to readers to do their own research.

[pommybill]

We have to treat grey water like black here,(Germany) adhereing to standards of BOD,COD and NH4 in discharged waste water,are you allowed to just use the soakaway method?

On this subject has anyone feedback on the Biolangreywater treatment system?

Cheers!

[enough stupidity]

As managing director of Waterwise Systems I would like to post a two facts in relation to Waterwise Systems

1) the average water saving achieved by people who install a system is 138,622 litres per year according to before and after water bills (thats 5 semi trailers full of drinking water!)

2) the number one source of our sales is people who have had our greywater gardener 230 system in for 2 years or more refering friends to us.

i would be happy to disclose evidence that supports these facts to any independent person. To the best of my knowledge nicky roxy has no involvement with our organisation whatsoever.

Moving on to heresay, which seems to be key masters strong point, our team is in regular contact with the thousands of people we have helped and more than 98% claim that their garden has never looked better.

We ask that anyone experiencing a problem with distributors and their contractors who may have not completed the instrallation to our specifactions contact Waterwise Systems through our website http://www.waterwisesystems.com.

In a world where various forces are attempting to turn water into a comodity like oil i would ask that any caring human being should at least consider using our or another quality permanent greywater system to maintain their garden before we run our children out of water and into the hands of water manufacturers…

[Kr.Kristen]

Now a days Water filter system very useful for every one…

Aquatech is also good company to develop water treatment system and water purification system…

[caverdude]

As far as I know in my area grey water can be released to the environment as long as it is cleaned and purified first. I’d say at least sand filtration and UV purification. Though it may not be legal to simply run your grey water into the ground near your garden, or into your garden. I doubt the health department would get involved unless someone complained about it. So it would be a matter of not bragging about it unless you hid the fact that the water had not been filtered and purified, before being released into the ground. Though how clean can leach water from your septic be for the ground? They don’t mind if your lawn is watered with leach lines but the garden? Well ya grey water isn’t black water but they still are concerned about watering food bearing plants with it directly.

From the health departments perspective, grey water from the bath tub and bathroom sink is more of an issue than grey water from your cloths washer or kitchen sink or dish washer. Kitchen sink and dish washer being the least concerning. Though they group them all the same to be safe as “needing to be sent down the black water drain, or needing to be filtered and purified”

https://larrydgray.wordpress.com

If anyone is interested I have an article here on filtration/purification in general.

https://larrydgray.wordpress.com/2011/09/02/blue-gold-water-filtration-purification-flocculation-sedimentation-distillation-condensation-and-more/

My article on home sewage treatment also. I only mention grey water systems.

https://larrydgray.wordpress.com/2011/03/02/home-sewage-treatment/

[Dustoffer]

I remember from the Earthship books that the gray water overflow had to go to the black water system. The cleanout also had to go through the overflow. There is no sense releasing filtered and sterilized water back into the environment when it can be re-used.

https://www.earthship.org/water

[caverdude]

by reused I was thinking in the watering of plants

[desert deb]

Anyone working on a diy system? Such as those mentioned above. Sand filtration or any of the others? Just curious if it cleans the water enough for gardening or animals.

[Dustoffer]

I have a rainwater catchment system, where water on my acrylic Earthship roof goes to galvanized(never PVC!) gutters with top shields to keep out some of the leaves and pine needles. The two downspout “T”s have a 1/16″ mesh butyl glued to the metal, going down to an ABS pipe siliconed at the junction and wrapped with expansion bubble plastic through the top Earthship wall course. 4”, going to a “T” then elbow down to a junction piece with screen on bottom, multiple rubber banded so it can be removed and cleaned periodically. It goes to the top 16″ round hole of a 425 gallon pickup bed poly tank with a screen on top of the opening, up in its own cabinet 2′ above the floor. A flex pipe goes through the top (to near the bottom of the tank) and out to a ShurFlo 12VDC pump(on switch), to a copper 1/2″ pipe that goes under the floor to a “T” at the vanity. There it goes to a filter that takes out everything for drinking water at the vanity, with drain to a garden. The other end goes to a drip system in the front garden. The tank has a 2 1/2″ pipe with valve to get water for putting into 3 gallon garden waterers. There is a 2 1/4″ pipe at the top for overflow to the floor drain connected to the foundation and overflow drain in the front garden, out to a rock pit well in front of the main house. This is not the same as the grey water systems in the highly informative middle link at larrydgray’s site and the earthship site.

The Earthship site has a sand filter in a ground level or lower tank, with toilet bowl type valve to a pump to another, higher tank. From this second tank grey water is used for interior gardens (by gravity flow), or taken by pump through several filters and a UV device to a pressure tank for household re-use. Whether that water can be used outside for gardens or livestock depends on your local codes.

I know one of the problems with the filters is detergent buildup and grease from dish washing. Some systems have a “Y” valve to separate the greasy or detergent filled water to the black water system(two water drainage systems). With clothes washing, the detergent can be eliminated with green wash balls that really work great. The Staber washing machine can run on modified square wave power, does not cause much lint, uses only 135 W/hrs, and 15 gallons for a large load.

We have a deep well for the main house, but illegal to use for garden watering. I put a bath tub next to one 1.6 gal. flush toilet, and one bath gives us nearly a week of flushes(with a 1 gallon pitcher). The other laundry/bath has a shower with low flow head, and another 1.6 gal. toilet, for when two are needed.

The Earthship greenhouse/guesthouse outbuilding has a Biolet NE composting toilet, with solar shower hook over the floor drain.

Rainwater catchment from a non-toxic(metal, acrylic, tile, or concrete) roof can be used for exterior gardens and livestock, in most cases (check your local regs).

[desert deb]

Thank that answers some questions. Not worried about kitchen it goes elsewhere and laundry will be filtered before the sand filter to hopefully remove detergents and lints, sounds like i might be on the right path. Thanks again.

[gordo]

a grease trap is like a mini septic tank. they come in various sizes. you can install inline at end of discharge. i would keep it in habitable space or 4-6 feet below grade to protect from freezing. but in a location that can be cleaned.

they’re not cheep about 300-400 would buy a size suitable for a 3br 2ba house. this size is about 24 in long 18 wide and about a foot deep. for a 1000 you can put in a septic as a trap.

i personally opted for a septic for domestic water waste. and have a collection system similar to dustoffer for garden and guest (future) house. i plan on that structure to be a foundation that is built as a concrete cistern under the house. the cistern will actually be built in 3 separate compartments. one for potable water, one for fish for an aquaponic system. and 3rd for backup to 1 or 2.

just some ideas.

cheers gordo

[Nick Rosen]

If you have a vegetarian household a grease trap isn’t as critical. I have 4 gray water systems, one for the bathroom sink, one for the tub/shower, one for the kitchen sink and one for the clothes washer. Each consists of a conventional 2″ ABS drain line going to a buried 55 gallon drum lying on its side that has been perforated everywhere except on the uppermost side. Fill the hole around the drum with gravel, then top with soil. My trees and shrubs thrive on these systems.

[Author]

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