Grey Water to the Ground Why it is a Viable Option
If you live in areas where there are no water restrictions then you are most likely irrigating your garden with clean, drinkable water. But do you really need to water your plants with water straight from a mainline supply? If you had an alternative option, will you use it?
Greywater Solutions
This time of year, when it’s hot and dry, a lot of towns in South Africa apply water restrictions to maintain water levels in certain areas. Cape Town specifically is currently under Level 5 water restrictions, which means that residents are only allowed 87 litres of water per person per day. These water restrictions also mean that Capetonians are not permitted to use mainline water supply for any outdoor purposes which include irrigation. Greywater harvesting is the perfect solution to bridge this gap and can be applied not only to residents of Cape Town but right across our country. It is a water saving solution even in areas where there are no water shortages. The best time to save water is when there is water to save.
What is grey water
Grey water is recycled semi-used water that comes from bathtubs, showers, basins and washing machines. It is water that was previously used for cleaning purposes and contains minimal trace amounts of dirt, soap and grease.
Why garden with grey water
Reusing grey water in your garden is an ideal way to give a purpose to second-hand water. One of the easiest and most popular greywater harvesting systems is a capture and redirect system that diverts grey water from your catchment area to mulch basins around trees, lawns or bushes. As it turns out most plants are perfectly happy with gently used water from showers, bathtubs, washing machine and sinks. There are precautions that are required like using grey water within 24 hours. This prevents the growth of bacteria in your water catchment area and ensures that no build up occurs.