Grey-water Recovery and Treatment

Most grey water systems start with a diverter valve so that wash water with bleach or other toxic chemicals can still be sent down the standard drain, and only bio-frendly soaps are diverted out to the landscaping.

Water from the washing machine comes up into the bottom of the valve and is then directed either down the drain to the right or out to the yard on the left.

The valve should be large enough that it does not restrict the flow from the waching machine, e.g. not smaller than the size of the outlet. This is a 1" 3-way valve^

Cost including adapters and fittings was around $50.

Outside the laundry room, there are 3 PVC valves which will allow the water to be directed to different areas as needed. The valves unscrew so if they get clogged up they can be cleared.

The tall vertical tube is a vacuum break which keeps the system from pulling the fill water out of the washer after it is done emptying the load. Most would use a ball valve, but that would be more expensive, prone to jamming, and this will also act as an indicator if the outlet lines are plugged up.

The cost is <~$20 for PVC fittings, valves, etc...

Standard drip irrigation pipe run through old plastic pots from previously purchased plants... placed upside down. This provides an air gap between the hole in the pipe and the ground so that roots will not grow up into the pipe.

The new bed will be filled in with mulch to absorb and hold the water safely. Open water is a health hazard as it can result in bacterial blooms, mosquitoes, and in any case, it will evaporate. The top layer of mulch drys out and keeps the water stored until the earth around it needs it.

Pipe was "rescued" from a prior irrigation project, so the total cost here is $0.?

Also:

• Gardening
• Ponds
• Wells
• Rainwater
• Water from the Air

In San Diego:

in the past, The permit process was compex and expensive enough that most home based gray water systems are not legal. Here is the permitting process and design criteria document published by the county prior to 2010:
http://www.co.san-diego.ca.us/deh/water/docs/lu_graywater_design_criteria.pdf However, the permitting and inspection requirements are changed so often that no one has time to figure out the red tape before the next change. The result is that not one single gray water permit was issued from 2005 to 2008 in a county that is starving for water.^ It is not known if any permits have been issued since then, but given the extreem requirements to prove that no groundwater exists on the property, it is unlikely that any home owner could afford to install a permitted system.

UPDATE: in January of 2010 the drought forced San Diego county to issue an emergency rule permitting safe residential grey water systems (from shower, bathroom sink, and clothes washing except for diapers):
http://hcd.ca.gov/codes/shl/graywater_emergency.html

Current requirements are listed here:
http://www.sandiego.gov/water/recycled/graywater.shtml

See:

• http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=tiiamVvTKpVlvGUqqbMv22w&output=html One familys water use for 2007-9 showing rate, tiers, used, and price. With total usage of approx $900 a year, installing a grey water system costing between $225-$450 and that might save a quarter to half the water used would pay for itself in a year.
• homedepot.com product #202020567  $149 Rescue WaterUrn 85 Gal. Decorative Urn Rain Barrel Kit with Integrated Planter, Hand Cast Terra Cotta
• http://www.rinconwater.org/ the Rincon del Diablo Municipal Water District serves Escondido CA. They offer a 30% credit against the System Operations Charge for domestic customers using 12 units or less of water bi-monthly (e.g. a drop in the bucket)

See also:

• http://www.rainthanks.com/ San Diego water savings contractor.
• http://www.h2o-me.com/ San Diego water savings contractor.
• http://rewater.com/ A Chula Vista company that has been the local leader in gray water systems since 1990.
• http://www.oasisdesign.net A general resource for gray water systems
• http://www.rhizomecollective.org/virtual_tour.htm Constructed wetlands: Constructed wetlands are artificially created wetlands systems which purify household wastewater (greywater). Water passing through the root zones of the plants is acted upon by the bacteria living there. The bacteria effectively remove organic nutrients plus nitrogen and contaminants from the water, making it safe for reuse for gardening purposes. This system is made from old bathtubs which have been filled with gravel and water plants. Water from the washing machine is pumped to the top tub, where it then flows by gravity from one tub to the next, until it is delivered to plants through tubing.
  
  An additional component to this system is the woodchip biofilter. This adds an anaerobic phase to the purification process, reducing the amount of gravel cells that are necessary. The woodchips have been inoculated with a mushroom spore which is effective at breaking down fecal coliforms.
  
  The basic guideline for constructed wetland systems is to have 1.3 square feet of filtration area for every gallon of water used daily at your house. The containers through which it passes shouldn’t be more than two feet deep. Ideal types of plants include: bulrush, cattail, canna lilly and phragmittes reeds.
  

Questions: