Green Plumbing

by Kim Kinrade

Sooner or later we all will have to get used to the fact that water is a finite commodity. In other words the availability of drinkable water is on a downward slide and rationing may be common process in a few short years. However, this is not so much because there is not enough water but how this precious resource is used.

Not All Water is Waste Water

Let's face it. Most of us think that water is an endless commodity. We water our lawns, run our taps, fill our swimming pools, take long showers and flush our toilets, all with water that is good to drink. Much of this water use can be divided into three groups:

1. Fresh water: This comes from the water supply and drinking water is usually directed into a water purification system or simple charcoal filter.

2. Gray water: Any water that has been used in the home, except water from toilets, is called graywater: dish water, shower drainage, sink drainage, and laundry water makes up 50-80% of residential "waste" water. This may be reused for other purposes: landscape irrigation, toilets.

3. Waste water: Water containing organic waste as in toilets.

Water Saving Devices

A few manufacturers of plumbing fixtures have entered the market with a few ware-saving products:

• Ultra low-flush toilets

• Low-flow shower heads

• Recirculating hot water systems for centralized hot water distribution.

• Point-of-use hot water heating systems for more distant locations in the home.

• Self-closing nozzles on hoses.

And there is always the wise option ( and money-saving) of decreasing the amount of water used.

Gray Water Systems

Gray Water is generally thought of as any water that has been used in the home except water from toilets. Drainage from the dishwasher, shower, sink, and laundry water make up 50-80% of residential "waste" water which may be reused for other purposes such as toilets and landscape irrigation.

Large quantities of drinking water is sent to sewage treatment center or into septic systems when most plants thrive on used water. Here is a breakdown of the benefits:

• Lower fresh water use

• Less strain on old septic tank or treatment plant

• Good for the topsoil and plant

• Less chemical use

• Not offensive to groundwater and actually is good for the aquifier

• Plant growth

• Use of wasted nutrients

The idea of a using gray water system is to capture the water from non-toilet facilities and redirect it to areas where it is needed. If the gray water is to be used inside it may have to be treated with a mild bleach to kill bacteria and to quell any possibility of smell from bits of organic material. A “trap” for solids will capture this material and can be cleaned out at regular intervals.

Treated graywater is pumped from the holding tank to the toilets in the home via a separate piping system. A ready supply of freshwater to the holding tank maintains an even flow and pressure if, at certain times of the day, the toilets are used more than the other facilities. There can be a separate tank for the irrigation water which does not have to be treated.

Another plus for the system is that, depending upon the number of fixtures, it is not hard to set up. A qualified plumber can isolate the toilets from the other facilities and you can now buy holding tanks and pump assemblies either online or through a plumbing supply outlet.