Greywater Systems
Clearwater Designs believes in reusing as much water as possible from your home. That's why we encourage our clients to install a greywater system using the water from washing machines, sinks, and showers to irrigate your landscape.
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The Laundry to Landscape System is an easy, adaptable system that allows you to reuse the water you use to wash clothes to water your thirsty trees (and more) in your yard. With a simple valve, you can divert the water to your landscape (or to the sewer in case you’re using a chemical you wouldn’t like your plants drinking). We suggest using Biocompatible Laundry Detergent; there’s a few on the market, such as Oasis, or ECOS (non-scented) and more. Please feel free to ask for recommendations. Since you’re using your washing machine pump to move the water, this is one of the simplest configurations that doesn’t need a permit, but there are legal parameters set forth by California Code.
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An example of a greywater valve installed behind a washing machine.
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How a Laundry to Landscape System could flow to your landscape.
Outdoor showers are a fun way to add an exciting feature to your backyard and bring your greywater outside. If you have a Jacuzzi, it is suggested that you shower before and after, just set it up outside and let the water feed an edible privacy screen.
A Branched drain system (shower, sink, etc.) requires a permit and a licensed plumber to alter the collection plumbing of your home. Branched Drain takes the water from your shower or another drain in your home and disperses it throughout your yard via gravity allowing for maximum infiltration and efficiency. This system is more expensive and more complex to install than the Laundry to Landscape system, but is extremely low maintenance once in place. This system cannot deliver water uphill, should not be used to irrigate small plants and cannot irrigate a lawn. If your home is on a cement slab this becomes much more difficult but not impossible to do.
A Branched drain system (shower, sink, etc.) requires a permit and a licensed plumber to alter the collection plumbing of your home. Branched Drain takes the water from your shower or another drain in your home and disperses it throughout your yard via gravity allowing for maximum infiltration and efficiency. This system is more expensive and more complex to install than the Laundry to Landscape system, but is extremely low maintenance once in place. This system cannot deliver water uphill, should not be used to irrigate small plants and cannot irrigate a lawn. If your home is on a cement slab this becomes much more difficult but not impossible to do.
Questions? Contact us today about setting up a greywater system!
Article used with permission from GrowWater.Org, with our thanks.