Drought-Proofing Your Landscape with Greywater Presentation by Alan Hackler in coalition with Greywater Action
HOW MUCH WATER DO YOU USE EACH DAY? www.greywateraction.org 3
THE GLOBAL WATER GAP Mozambique 1 gal/person UK: 40 gal/person France:76 gal/person US:150 gal/person www.greywateraction.org Source: UNDP Human Dev. Report 2006 4
About 50% of residential water is used for irrigation I don't need clean drinking water! Greywater results in a 16-40% reduction in average water use
Save water Save time Save energy Benefits of Greywater Fosters a connection to our landscapes www.greywateraction.org 6
Is greywater legal? Yes! Greywater is regulated by Chapter 16 of the California Plumbing Code. www.greywateraction.org 7
Greywater is water from: #1 Washing machines Top loading machine: 30-50 gallons/load Front loading machine: 12-25 gallons/load Top efficient: 15-25 gallons/load
Greywater is water from: #2 Showers and baths
Greywater is water from: #3 Sinks (Kitchen sink water is not currently considered greywater in California and is difficult to legally reuse)
Greywater is never from toilets!
How can you use greywater? #1 For outdoor irrigation #2 To flush toilets These systems require filtration, disinfection, and frequent maintenance. They are difficult to obtain permits for.
Good options: 1 st Trees (fruit trees are nice!) 2 nd Shrubs/bushes 3 rd Perennials and large annuals Choosing Plants for Greywater Irrigation Food crops are fine as long as greywater doesn't touch the edible portion Plants with larger root zones thrive with laundry watering patterns. www.greywateraction.org 13
NOT lawns or small plants Irrigating these types of plants requires a more complex type of system.
Greywater is NOT Potable It's important that: Greywater doesn't pool up. People don't have direct contact with the water. Greywater doesn't run off or enter a storm drain, creek, river, etc.. Greywater is not used to irrigate root crops.
Greywater Systems can be Simple or High-Tech Image Water Sprout www.greywateraction.org 16
Simple System: Laundry-to-Landscape (L2L) -Doesn't alter the plumbing -Doesn t require a permit (if basic guidelines are followed). -Costs: $150-$250 parts, $700-$2,500 professional installation 17
Laundry-to-Landscape System (Interior) Loose fitting connection to the sewer/septic Diverter valve Anti-siphon vent installed on the landscape side of the valve Washer drain hose Greywater goes to landscape 18
Diverter Valve The valves allows us to control the flow of greywater (either to the landscape, or to the sewer/septic) Direction of low www.greywateraction.org 19
PVC-Free Version : BluLock www.greywateraction.org 20
A shallow basin filled with mulch (wood chips) that filters and absorbs greywater before it soaks into the soil. Mulch Basin The basin also spreads greywater out, providing surge capacity, and prevents pooling or runoff. www.greywateraction.org 21
How to Size a Mulch Basin The basin is a bio-filter, and captures particles in water, preventing ponding. It must be large enough so all greywater soaks into ground. Size depends on quantity of greywater and soil type. o In clay soil, approximately 1 square foot of basins is needed per 1 gallon of greywater (daily) o In sandy-loam approximately 1/2 square foot of basin needed per 1 gallon of greywater (daily) www.greywateraction.org 22
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Image: Leigh Jerrard Image: Greg Bullock www.greywateraction.org 24
Mulch Shieldprevents roots from clogging outlet www.greywateraction.org 25
Slope Considerations Be mindful of the washing machine pump! In a flat yard, distribution should be within 50 feet If site slopes downward to distribution points no rule on distance Serpentine tubing to slow greywater flow on downhill slopes Leave a 1 open end to protect the machine's pump. This can be an irrigation point and should be located in a mulch shield in a mulch basin. Note: If the distribution points are uphill a L2L system is not recommended. www.greywateraction.org 26
Hardscape Go under it Go around it Remove it Cut a strip of it www.greywateraction.org 27
Use Plant Friendly Products/Soaps Products should NOT contain -SALT, -BORON, or -CHLORINE Plant Friendly brands: ECOS, Biopac, Trader Joes, Oasis, Vaska, Aubrey Organics, hydrogen peroxide bleach. *Always read the label* NEVER use a sodium based water softened water. www.greywateraction.org 28
Estimate Greywater Production 1. Number of loads of laundry done each week? 2. Number of gallons per load? Top loading machine uses 40 gallons/load Front loading machine uses 20 gallons/load Top efficient machines uses 25 gallons/load 3. Future changes? New machine? Change in usage? www.greywateraction.org 29
Different sources, Different hydro-zones. www.greywateraction.org 30
Other Greywater Systems There are many other types of systems besides the L2L They require permits and Can be simple and gravity based Can incorporate pumps With proper filtration, can use greywater compatible drip irrigation tubing www.greywateraction.org 31
Branched Drain: A Gravity System Diverter valve 32 Costs: $250-$500 parts, $800-$4,000 professional installation (permit fees cost more)
Branched Drain: A Gravity System To install this system you must be able to access the drainage plumbing It requires a permit The landscape must be lower than the greywater pipes www.greywateraction.org 33
A Diverter Valve Controls GW Flow From Fixture To Landscape To Sewer A motor (called an actuator) can be added, enabling the valve to be controlled by a switch inside the house. www.greywateraction.org 34
Branched Drain System Setbacks from buildings and property lines Greywater outlet is under a solid shield and flows into a mulch basin. Size of basin depends on soil type and amount of water. www.greywateraction.org 35
Completed System and 1 Year Later Images: Josh Lowe www.greywateraction.org 36
Pumped System A diverter valve directs GW to a tank Unfiltered GW is pumped out to the landscape with 1 tubing and ½ outlets System requires an outlet and uses electricity Requires a rigorous permitting process www.greywateraction.org 37
Photo: Leigh Jerrard www.greywateraction.org 38
Pump and Filter System for Drip Irrigation (Filters must be cleaned manually and require frequent maintenance) Drip irrigation Image: Leigh Jerrard Note: Filtered GW requires special www.greywateraction.org drip tubing and is not compatible 39with most standard drip systems.
High-End Residential 40 Images: Watersprout.org
Pre- Legal Kitchen Sinks (aka Veggie Wash Stations ) 41
Annual Maintenance Visually inspect valve and antisiphon for leaks Check mulch basins. Dig out and replace composted mulch with fresh woodchips Check valves for clogs (unclog if necessary) www.greywateraction.org 42
Design Considerations WHAT sources of greywater can you access? HOW much greywater does your home produce? WHAT plants will you irrigate? Match the amount of GW with their weekly irrigation needs. Remember to hydro-zone! (Keep plants with similar water needs together.) CHOOSE a system to meet your needs. www.greywateraction.org 43