Grey Water Gardening Giving Purpose to Second Hand Water
Grey water gardening is not just for the experts. It is for anyone who loves to spend time in the garden. Keeping the green theme going, grey water harvesting is a perfect solution to an ongoing water shortage problem. Not only is it a safe way to use second-hand water around your home, but it saves money and saves clean water for future use.
What is grey water?
Grey water is semi-used water that comes from sanitary fittings around your home like showers, tubs, basins and washing machines. To simplify, it is water that was used for hygienic purposes that contain minimal amounts of dirt, soap, grease and chemicals used for cleaning. On average, the most water wastage of every house occurs in the bathroom. Up to 65 percent of your home’s water usage is wasted when you flush, take a bath or have a shower.
Why garden with grey water?
Reusing grey water in your garden is a great way to give purpose to a second-hand resource that will literally go down the drain. By turning nutrients, that usually become pollutants, into a source of fertilizer, it makes grey water gardening a relatively safe method of irrigation. There are simple guidelines to follow depending on what type of gardening you're doing. For vegetable gardening, for example, it is best not to let the grey water come directly in contact with what is consumed. Following such guidelines will not only ensure that your crops grow to its fullest potential, but also encourage positive irrigation and gardening habits.
How to collect grey water
The most common way to collect and store used water is with a grey water harvesting system. These systems allow water to flow from your sanitary fittings into a tank which needs to be maintained and monitored. Because grey water can’t be stored for long periods of time, a 50L tank is suggested. For longer storage, additional filtering systems need to be installed. From here water can be rerouted and reused to irrigate your garden.
It is important to consult with a specialist before installing a grey water harvesting system. Simply filling a tank with used water is not sufficient nor is it safe. To find out what system suits your home the best, contact us today.