Greywater [Wikipedia]
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We already do this. My family and I use dishwater, etc. and also collect rainwater to water other flowers and plants later. Works like a charm.
no, but I frequently fight The Pirates of Blackwater.
We already use this, and Ontario is in no way out of water…with the lakes and all. We use the baby’s bath water for flushing the toilet and rinsing out his soapy clothes.
Las Vegas runs on grey water – fountains, golf courses, lawns – I think all golf courses everywhere should do the same. I mean, it’s just grass.
@ STRATHMEYER and others who say that it is disgusting or unnecessary:
I suggest you try living in somewhere like the East Coast of Australia (where I live) which has been in drought for the last seven years.
With certain dams at 13% capacity (70% and over is a healthy amount) we are at level 5 water restrictions, meaning each household (not person, household-regardless of one person or twenty) has 120 Litres (a bit over 21 gallons) of water to use per day. That includes for use in dishwashers, showers, toilets, pools, washing machines and any other place you use water aside from just washing your hands and drinking.
With recycling programs (yes that means recycling ALL used water- even the stuff you really -wouldn’t- want to drink), a billion dollar desalination plant in the works, and very very tough water restrictions in place, grey water becomes somewhat more necessary. Team that with a recent price hike for water and its either use grey water or cry when you see your bill, plus the fines you accumulate if the water inspectors catch you using precious water.
I would be so happy if I lived somewhere where water was cheap and plentiful enough that I could be so wasteful. But alas, it is 3 minute showers and the old ‘if it’s brown flush it down, if it’s yellow let it mellow’ approach. Which totally grosses me out when my housemates follow it so strictly. *shudder*
@daisythecow:
I’m surprised Arizona isn’t like that.
Goddamn Californians (and others, too, but they’re the ones who’ve been displaced the least distance) just can’t live without a damn lawn.
It’s not just unnatural, it’s fucking VULGAR.
If I were in charge, any plant that isn’t adapted to the desert/can’t live without watering would have to be kept indoors. And screw fines. Prison.
@daisythecow: 21 gallons/day doesn’t sound bad at all to me. My washer uses 8-14 gallons per load, dishwasher uses ~6 gallons per load, toilets use 0.9 gallons/flush. If I only use the “efficient” showerhead instead of the guzzlers I have, I’d be down to 1 gallon/minute for the shower. The only lifestyle change I’d have to make to reach 21 gallons/day would be changing out my showerhead from the Speakman Anystream I have (same model as the White House has) to something more efficient.
@FLConsumer: The White House must have a good showerhead to wash all that blood and oil off their hands each day.
Anyone remember the post from a few days ago discouraging placing a brick in the tank because of the trace amounts brick it would send into the toiler? What would a raddish do?
Kitchen sinks need to go to the drain with the toilet or into a compost pile…bathroom sinks/bathwater are a different matter.
I wouldn’t “brick” a toilet — they design these fixtures to use a certain amount of water. Use less than that and you’re not going to get the performance it was designed for. Even if it appears to flush well, it might not be capable of pushing the “waste” as far down the sewer pipe as it was supposed to.