Grey Water
Presenter: Melissa King
A lot of people have been making the most of grey water. It is a smart way to keep our gardens looking good without relying on tap or tank water but it also raises a few questions about what you should and shouldn’t do.
Grey water is the wastewater from the bath, shower, hand basin and washing machine. It doesn’t include water from your toilet. You should also avoid kitchen wastewater, including from the dishwasher because it has a high concentration of food wastes and chemicals that aren’t readily broken down by soil organisms.
You need to be aware that each council has its own rules and regulations when it comes to grey water so have a chat to them before you set up your own system.
A grey water system can be as simple as putting a bucket in the shower or connecting a grey water hose to the outlet pipe of your washing machine.
Another easy option is a drainage pipe from the shower. You simply unscrew the inspection plug or fitting and insert a rubber water diverter from your local hardware. It simply channels the grey water from the outlet pipe to a drainage hose or bucket.
You need to be aware that grey water can contain pathogens and disease causing organisms, but it is quite safe to use on the garden if you stick to a few simple rules. The first one is to use the grey water as soon as possible. Never store it for more than 24 hours – for a start it really smells, but more importantly it can cause a dangerous build-up of bacteria.
Always rotate which areas you water and don’t over do it as you don’t want any wet patches hanging around. Make sure grey water doesn’t run off into storm water drains or neighboring properties and always wash your hands after using it.
You should never let children or pets drink or play with grey water and avoid using it on the herb or vegetable garden, especially if the crop is to be eater raw, but do use it on your flower beds and shrub borders to keep them flourishing.
The average Australian household creates between 200 and 400 litres of grey water per day and that can go a long way to conserving water and keeping our gardens looking great.
To find out more about the use of grey water on your garden visit www.ourwater.vic.gov.au
A lot of people have been making the most of grey water. It is a smart way to keep our gardens looking good without relying on tap or tank water but it also raises a few questions about what you should and shouldn’t do.
Grey water is the wastewater from the bath, shower, hand basin and washing machine. It doesn’t include water from your toilet. You should also avoid kitchen wastewater, including from the dishwasher because it has a high concentration of food wastes and chemicals that aren’t readily broken down by soil organisms.
You need to be aware that each council has its own rules and regulations when it comes to grey water so have a chat to them before you set up your own system.
A grey water system can be as simple as putting a bucket in the shower or connecting a grey water hose to the outlet pipe of your washing machine.
Another easy option is a drainage pipe from the shower. You simply unscrew the inspection plug or fitting and insert a rubber water diverter from your local hardware. It simply channels the grey water from the outlet pipe to a drainage hose or bucket.
You need to be aware that grey water can contain pathogens and disease causing organisms, but it is quite safe to use on the garden if you stick to a few simple rules. The first one is to use the grey water as soon as possible. Never store it for more than 24 hours – for a start it really smells, but more importantly it can cause a dangerous build-up of bacteria.
Always rotate which areas you water and don’t over do it as you don’t want any wet patches hanging around. Make sure grey water doesn’t run off into storm water drains or neighboring properties and always wash your hands after using it.
You should never let children or pets drink or play with grey water and avoid using it on the herb or vegetable garden, especially if the crop is to be eater raw, but do use it on your flower beds and shrub borders to keep them flourishing.
The average Australian household creates between 200 and 400 litres of grey water per day and that can go a long way to conserving water and keeping our gardens looking great.
To find out more about the use of grey water on your garden visit www.ourwater.vic.gov.au
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