Can you use greywater for laundry?

The good news is that “greywater”—gently-used water from your laundry machine—need not go to waste. It can be recaptured and re-used to water your garden. And the State of California recently rewrote decades of restrictive building codes to allow simple residential greywater reuse.

How do I divert my greywater to my garden?

Washing machines are typically the easiest source of greywater to reuse because greywater can be diverted without cutting into existing plumbing. Each machine has an internal pump that automatically pumps out the water- you can use that to your advantage to pump the greywater directly to your plants.

Can I water my plants with laundry water?

1. If you use wash-cycle laundry water for plants, mix it with the rinse-cycle water. This will cut the concentration of harmful chemicals, probably enough to avoid plant damage.

Is a GREY water system worth it?

The average greywater system installed on a single-family home can save about 2,600 gallons of water per year, and have a lifespan of 10+ years. The cost of greywater would be about 10¢ per gallon, 20x more than municipal water costs.

Are GREY water systems expensive?

Cost. Basic treatment systems cost around $4000. Systems that treat greywater to ‘Class A’ level (which is considered safe for watering plants intended for eating, but not for drinking or preparing food) cost from around $10,000 up to well over $20,000, including installation.

Can laundry water be used for irrigation?

If your home does not have a water softener, your bathwater and rinse water from dishes and laundry are all of good quality for irrigation. Soapy wash water from dishes and laundry might better be saved to flush the toilet, but can be used for irrigation if you’re careful about certain possible problems.

Can you water down laundry detergent?

“It’s possible to dilute many cleaning products in order to make what you have last longer, saving you the hassle of returning to a store and also saving you some money,” Berliet says. “Many laundry detergents, hand soaps, and shampoos can be watered down a bit without compromising their effectiveness.

Can I use laundry water in my garden?

Household wastewater from washing machines, bathroom sinks, showers, and bathtubs is considered “gray” because it is only lightly soiled and poses a minimal health risk. As long as you’re only putting biodegradable products down the drain, graywater is perfectly safe for irrigating plants.

What is a laundry-to-landscape system?

The laundry-to-landscape system is a simple system with easy distribution of greywater to multiple plants. It is relatively low cost, and easy to install. The washing machine’s internal pump slightly pressurizes the greywater, so this system can irrigate plants across a flat yard.

Are my greywater and landscape systems eligible for water conservation rebates?

Depending on your Bay Area County and City, you may be eligible for water conservation rebates on your Greywater and Landscape systems. Please find the links below as resources to find the latest information on your city and county water conservation rebate programs.

What are the benefits of greywater?

•Greywater can travel slightly uphill (think small bumps in your yard) or longer distances across flat yards. • Accessible 3-way valve makes it easy to switch between the greywater system and the sewer/septic. •Very little maintenance.

How do I get rid of greywater from my washing machine?

The washer hose is connected to a 3-way valve that can divert greywater either to the sewer or the greywater system and piped outside with 1” rigid pipe, like PVC.