using bathwater for irrigation

[BigBadJohn]

Hi. I'm new to this site so I suppose this may be a silly question- I've been using all washing-up water for years, now, on plants/veggies.... 'Ecover' washing-up liquid. Seems to be OK. Because of chronic lack of rain I thought it would be a good idea to siphon off bathwater for similar use. Looking on the web there are concerns about using bathwater on veggies. Can anyone enlighten me about the 'risks'?

[BigBadJohn]

[goodlife]

I think the biggest consern is the 'dirty' water ending on the edible parts of the plants..some detergents may damage plant roots..some chemicals may end up into the plants and then eaten by you... :-\..suppose it comes down..what you are comfortable with.
I would certainly not use bathwater..unless just plain water for any salad crops.

[Ellen K]

I do stuff like collect the last 2 rinses from the washing machine and chuck it on the flower beds.

But I wouldn't put anything like that on crops I was going to eat.  Not sure why exactly but I could end up eating any nasties in it: E Coli, C Diff and the like.  But grey water is very dilute so it's unlikely but as GL says, splashed on your salad it doesn't sound too good.  Rather bath in a little less water and save some fresh for the edibles.

[RenishawPhil]

The soap particles in the water are also not good for clay soil as it binds them together!  I

[Digeroo]

During various hosepipe bans in the past I have used bath water extensively.   Plants were fine and so are we.  No experience of effects on clay though. 

Some years everyone was doing it.  Cannot remember hearing that ecoli etc were an issue.  Tend to keep water off the leaves of tomatoes, do not eat lettuce etc and all other veg boiled.  I did wash things in case there was still detergents on it.   

1976 Courgettes lived exclusively on washing up water (Fairy) They were very good.

[Robert_Brenchley]

We must get E coli etc all over our veg after every flood, as the sweres vent into the streams. Nobody's been made ill yet; ultraviolet and atmospheric oxygen soon finish the bugs off