Gray Water Filtration and Collecting System for the Homestead adjustable to Winter Climates
This summer I found that my gray water collection system was operating inefficiently and with Environment Canada currently stating that our summer will be dry and drought like, I thought that I needed to revisit new ideas and concept to be able to water my garden. With the lack of rain, I don't want to rely solely on my rain barrel system. So this post is dedicated to ideas around implementing a new gray water collection and filtration system in my home, that is simple to install.
First I wanted to concentrate on the kitchen sink. I find washing vegetables and rinsing hands and dishes, I waste so much water, so this was one area that I wanted to pay attention to in implementing a system.
Having a diverting switch allows me to essentially still keep the existing pipe system to the sewer for the winter months.
This is typically what it would look like under my sink. So no real big adjustments on the inside of the house. Simple enough.
Then having the pipe outdoors, might me a small issue as I have my kitchen sink on the driveway side of my home so I would have to run the pipe along the wall to the end of the house and put the collection filtration barrel there with a down pipe, but really not too too hard to install.
Moving on to the bathroom. Here I just want something very simple, but still have a way to re-purpose the water. So here are some of my thoughts. Just a simple sink that can simply drain to a bucket and then I can pour it into a filer bucket outside for the summer months, then in the summer month, I would pour it into the back of the toilet for flushing.
I love this barrel system. and have the filter system incorporated inside the barrel, then have it drain out of the sink to the outside such as the kitchen sink pipe system.
This picture is the filter system incorporated into the Barrel.
Having the diverting pipe a switch allows me to make it more adjustable to the winter climates of where I live. I would have to drain the lines in a pumped system create an automatic bypass tube at the beginning of the system. If there is freezing in the main line water can safely escape out the bypass, such as a tee with a runner tube high up, high enough so that the gray water will only flow out in case of a blockage.
So here are my idea's to revamp my old and inefficient gray water collection system that I currently have for my gardens.
If any of you can offer up and different solutions that are SIMPLE to implement then I welcome any and all your suggestions.
Happy Gray Water Trails Folks!
Image Sources:
https://www.pinterest.ca/pin/351632683392239511/?lp=true
https://inhabitat.com/everything-you-need-to-know-to-build-a-backyard-greywater-wetland/
https://www.pinterest.ca/memphisstjames/water-storage-and-purification-the-homestead-survi/?lp=true
Love the water barrel idea - simple but so effective!
This is great. Love it. Ya the barrel is an attractive option for the bathroom, or at least one of my bathrooms. Thanks
this is amazing
Thank you
These are some really great ideas. I liked the using it for the toilet flushing idea also. Really neat ideas about saving water.
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Thank you, anything that I can do to help more people to be encouraged to follow and live this lifestyle helps
That diverter idea is very smart. I wonder if grey water can be winterized if there's a way to get the pipe buried before it leaves the house and stay buried deep enough until it meets the point of disbursement?
This is a great point you raise, will have to give this some thought. Thanks
Don't forget about the bathtub water.That should also be good for a greywater system. Do you have a tank to store the water in until you use it, or does it just run out to the garden?
I do have a tank, but where my bathtub is located, it is risky as my gas lines and my central air system is right outside the pipe location, so this would mean that is would not be a simple plan to divert that water. But great idea and yes I had considered it.
Awesome and creative solution. Great post:)
Thank you
Really great ideas. I placed ibc totes under my cabin foundation to collect either rain water or my gray water, not sure yet. I'd rather reuse the water than to waste it in the septic system. Although, technically it's not wasted, because eventually through filtration and evaporation it rejoins the water cycle.
excellent post! mentioned in the MSP PAL curation
Thank you so much
I love the barrel under the sink. Kinda reminds me of this other design where they have a sink over the toilet's flush tank. Stacking functions is always good. I'm assuming the bathroom is heated so you won't have freezing issues there? That's got to be rough, and I'm glad you figured out a solution for the outdoor pipes with your bypass tube.
@soulturtle I am seriously considering this sink over the toilet option for my second bathroom in my home. Yes bathrooms are heated. Thank you