Using 'greywater' to help the environment

OAKLAND, Calif., Nov. 16, 2007 (KGO) (KGO) -- There is a new approach to protecting the environment.

As much as half of the water that goes down the drain at you home could be reused, instead of sent into the sewer system.

So the drive to discover a better way to use waste water in our homes is on.

It's a routine that happens in many households everyday.

But just one load of dirty clothes can use as much as from 40 gallons of water.

Water that ultimately goes into the sewer.

But not in this Oakland home.

Greywater has nothing to do with your toilet.

It is untreated waste water from bathtubs, showers, bathroom wash basins, clothes washing machines, and laundry tubs.

The average American uses 60 gallons of water a day.

The state says 40 percent of that is greywater.

It's called "greywater" because it contains nitrogen and phosphorus from soap and detergent.

Those compounds are actually good for many plants, but they are pollutants when you dump them in the sewer.

"Basically, the water comes in and it sits in this bathtub and nourishes these plants. The plants actually clean the water a little bit, and when more water comes in, the extra flows out," said Ruby, greywater user.

Simple systems like this one are springing up around the bay, as people try to be more eco-conscious.

There is no official research on whether greywater should be used on vegetables.

Health officials and greywater users say it is safe, as long the water is used only on the roots.

"I felt like the amount of water I used - some of it could be reused and it would be good for the environment. I would save a little bit on my water bill and it just seemed to me the right thing to do," said Ruby.

And she is not alone, since the greywater movement is flourishing as more people realize how simple the systems are.

"There is a huge interest. There's a lot of people using greywater. It's just not talked about a lot," said Laura Allen, Greywater Guerillas.

Laura Allen is an author and advocate of the greywater movement.

She is part of the Greywater Guerillas, an educational organization that teaches people how to install greywater systems.

The first step is to become aware of the amount of water you are using, then look at ways you can reuse some of that water.

"Typically, most people use half of their water use indoors and half outdoors, if they irrigate. Greywater can typically cover most of the outdoor irrigation," said Allen.

Allen put her system in almost three years ago.

"This is our old plumbing which is cast iron. So to do greywater, we just cut with saw a section of the pipe and put in a diverter valve," said Allen.

The water is then redirected to what is essentially a miniature wetland.

In this case, it's set up in an old bathtub.

"It's just a matter of time before there's a necessity where we need to water all of our landscapes with rainwater and greywater," said Christopher Shein, a landscaper with Wildheart Gardens, who specializes in sustainable gardening.

He's installed a greywater system in his home that allows greywater to go straight to plants in his backyard.

"Ii definitely get beauty and relaxation and enjoyment just from having the garden grow being done in an ecological manner makes me rest a little easier," said Shein.

Shein says more clients are showing interest in installing greywater systems.

The biggest question is whether it is legal or not.

The state water department says yes.

And it's relatively cheap, since a simple system runs from $50 to $200.

Advocates say there's no better time to install one than now.

"Greywater really has a huge implication if more people do it to reduce water use in a really cheap way, rather than looking for a new source of water," said Allen.

Resources:

http://www.greywaterguerrillas.com/greywater.html

http://www.greywater.com/

http://www.toolbase.org/Technology-Inventory/Sitework/greywater-reuse

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