Author Topic: Grey water  (Read 2213 times)

galina

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Grey water
« on: July 01, 2015, 10:22:32 »
Whenever grey water reuse is being discussed, people (myself included) immediately think about shower water.  With my butts empty, I have been pumping (small bulb type hand pump and gravity) water into a muck bucket below.  We don't have a power shower and the result is about one big watering can per person of soapy water.

Then it occurred to  me, what about all the vegetable washing water that goes right down the drain.  Wash lettuce twice in the kitchen sink and a staggering two watering cans can be harvested.  And this water is not soapy, so can go on any plants.  I stuck 4ft of plastic tubing (from racking wine) with an elastic band to a jar (first thing that came to hand, any weight will do), put that into the sink, suck, then drop the end into a watering can on the floor and gravity does the rest.  I revived a bunch of birthday flowers that had suffered in the heat in a sink of water overnight - 3/4 of a watering can harvested. 

It is really surprising where most water is used (here at least).  The old chestnut of reusing shower water is just that, unless people have power showers or all the family has baths I guess.   :wave: 

tricia

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Re: Grey water
« Reply #1 on: July 01, 2015, 11:11:06 »
I save water by using a bowl in the kitchen sink, using pretty much all the water to fill buckets for use on my veggies and fruit trees. The same in the shower - it takes a bucket almost filled before the water runs warm from my combi-boiler. I don't waste it! I'm not quite so careful in the winter when all my butts are full and there is nothing to water anyway, but I do use the water from the shower to flush the toilet. (I live in the southwest, where water is costly). It really hurts me too when I have to top up my fish pond during a spell of really dry weather! The butts being now empty I shall have to fill at least one of them from the tap today.  :BangHead:

Tricia

Spireite

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Re: Grey water
« Reply #2 on: July 02, 2015, 07:28:12 »
On a very small scale....I regularly empty the cold half of a teapot into my kitchen windowsill plants or the tubs nearest the door.  Last year I grew beetroots right outside my front door and they got most of the cold tea.
N. Herts, just acquired first allotment in Aug 2014.

pumkinlover

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Re: Grey water
« Reply #3 on: July 02, 2015, 07:43:59 »
We save all our water, interesting point about the shower, I've always thought that having a quick "normal" shower shouldn't use much water ( amazed on caravan sites how long people are in the showers!) Nice to know some people think along the same lines as we do.
Toilet flushing only for the "necessaries", rest goes to the compost heap.
Cold Water running off from the solar water heater gets used to wash fleece, then to water the garden/greenhouse. as does veg washing and pot washing water.
Is there a technique for flushing the toilet Tricia? Without taking the lid off the cistern I can never get it to work.
Does this all sound weird !! LOL :glasses9:

Digeroo

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Re: Grey water
« Reply #4 on: July 02, 2015, 09:08:30 »
Reminds me of 1976 when hardly a drop of water went down the drain.  The soapy stuff went on the flowers - I had excellent begonias.   They had nothing but dirty washing up water all summer.  Used a hose pipe to syphon the water out of the bath.



 

tricia

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Re: Grey water
« Reply #5 on: July 02, 2015, 13:37:40 »
Pumpkinlover: I have a 10 litre bucket standing in my shower. When it is full, which is more than a normal flush, I use a swirling motion round the toilet pan to flush. (If that makes sense?).

Tricia

galina

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Re: Grey water
« Reply #6 on: July 03, 2015, 00:47:07 »
Tricia that is a very good idea.  It always takes a long time before the shower is hot enough to use.  If nothing else, to save that cold water with a bucket is a very good idea.

As always, it's the little things that add up in the long run.  At least I am not the only water saver here  :glasses9:  when it gets dry in the garden.

 :wave:

pumkinlover

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Re: Grey water
« Reply #7 on: July 03, 2015, 05:23:39 »
Pumpkinlover: I have a 10 litre bucket standing in my shower. When it is full, which is more than a normal flush, I use a swirling motion round the toilet pan to flush. (If that makes sense?).

Tricia

You must have better moves than me!   :glasses9:

 

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