1. Introduction to Greywater Systems Pinoleville Pomo Nation EPA September 2015

2. What is grey water? There’s three types of water. White Water – This is clean water. It comes from your tap and can be used for drinking and food preparation Grey Water – This is a form of waste water, but it never comes in contact with human waste. This water typically comes from sinks, showers, baths and more Black Water – Another form of waste water that contains human waste. This comes directly from your toilet

3. What is grey water? Greywater may contain traces of dirt, food, grease, hair, and certain household cleaning products. Greywater may look “dirty,” but it’s a safe and beneficial source of irrigation water in a yard or garden thanks to the nutrients in the water from soap and food waste. It’s great for yards because plants love it, and it keeps the water from potentially polluting rivers, lakes and estuaries while promoting reuse and sustainability.

4. What is a greywater system?

5. Greywater systems help you get the most out of your water through reuse. Typically there are three types of greywater systems 1. Manual Bucketing – This is just like it sounds. Filling up your own buckets and barrels with greywater and manually feeding your landscaping and plants 2. Diversion – Diversion is more permanent than bucketing. Diversion uses plumbing for subsurface irrigation to water throughout your yard 3. Treatment – This is serious. Treatment is the most expensive, but will rid the water of unwanted chemicals through filtration. The filters allow for the most different uses after treatment is completed.

6. The Do’s and Don’ts of Greywater DO: Wash your hands after watering with greywater Use garden-friendly cleaning products that are biodegradable and are free from or low in sodium and phosphorous Pipe greywater underground or under mulch to water your garden Irrigate your ornamentals and orchards, making sure greywater is not in direct contact with fruit Regularly check your greywater system is working properly Divert greywater to the sewer during wet periods Stop using greywater if someone in the household is sick

7. The Do’s and Don’ts of Greywater DON’T Store untreated greywater for more than 24 hours Use greywater to water vegetables and herbs that are to be eaten raw or partly cooked Use greywater sourced from washing soiled clothes Use greywater that has disinfectants and bleaches in it Use greywater from kitchens, unless it has been treated Use greywater that is still hot as it will kill beneficial organisms in the soil Spray or hose greywater

8. What kind of system is here?

9. It’s a treatment system! At this house a treatment system is set up to feed the nearby garden. The water is treated through a sand filter before reaching the garden.

10. How do I make my own greywater system? If you’re only beginning with greywater, manual bucketing is an easy way to start. You can simply unhook the waste water hose from your washing machine and place it in a nearby sink to collect in a bucket. If you want to look into a diversion or treatment system, it’s best to consult a plumber to ensure you don’t damage sprinkler systems or gas lines.

11. Now let’s see how the system here works With two five gallon buckets of colored water you’ll see firsthand how water from the bathtub feeds the garden after passing through the treatment filter.