Shifting Solutions

Roof run-off cisterns are an excellent source of toilet flushing water

Please note that even if you don’t have to obtain a building permit for your greywater system now, it doesn’t mean a future owner won’t be required to.   We highly recommend keeping resale value, cost effectiveness, and future health code enforcement firmly in mind when considering graywater irrigation.   Roof run-off cist erns are an excellent source of toilet flushing water should you wish to conserve, but recycling greywater to flush your toilet is simply not cost-effective and is potentially unhealthy.   It is much easier, less expensive, and worlds safer to directly dispose of greywater in a leaching pit or reuse in an irrigation field (planterbed).  Systems are not sold to reuse greywater for flushing toilets and I do not recommend you even consider this expensive, ‘high-tech’ answer to a much simpler question. From an environmental standpoint, the main reason for greywater reuse is to actually reuse the soaps, skin particles, shampoo, and hair conditioner as plant fertilizer, keeping them out of the waterways.   Phosphate rich soaps and mild cleaning chemicals in your wastewater are considered pollutants because they accelerate algae growth in the waterways, which in turn leads to oxygen depletion for fish and other marine life.   To buy an expensive system, have it installed, dedicate the floor space, and maintain the filters and UV treatment bulbs simply to sterilize greywater and flush your toilet with it is not cost effective nor environmentally conscious.   What little greywater is produced by the average family is better directly reused for plant growth or simply disposed of back into the aquifer.   At the very least, it makes absolutely no sense to flush the phosphate and bacteria killing soap laden filtered greywater down the toilet and into your septic tank where it disrupts digestive function.   The extreme risk of legal liability is always a consideration for the savvy contractor, homeowner, and your local building officials.   What happens when the system fails to sterilize the greywater properly and someone gets sick as a result?   Here in the United States, a toilet full of “sterilized” graywater is a lawsuit just waiting to happen; that’s why toilet water reuse systems have never caught on.   It does not require a vivid imagination to picture a neighbor’s three year old child imitating the family dog and taking a drink out of your toilet, getting infected, and finding you and your contractor in court.   Stick to a simple direct reuse, non-electric, greywater recycling or disposal system … avoid high tech storage and toilet flushing greywater schemes.
Finding ways to improve your homes GREEN   appeal can be challenging financially. I hope to offer tips and ideas along this line to help keep costs down for the do it your self individual home owner. There are lots of ways to improve  your homes efficiency if your prepared  to spend a little elbow grease.  One such idea is building your own home solar system or wind power generator. By doing it your self , not only will you be a great example to your neighbors but also to your kids teaching them as you go about sustainable living and how important it is in today’s environment. You aslo get to save a lot of energy costs and fewer if any utility bills at the end of the month. You can learn to build your own solar panels and install your renewable energy system for your home solar power consumption. It’s easier than you think and a lot of fun.