Q: How would I rig up a gray water system without violating codes? I want my house to still be in a sale-able condition should we need to sell it. And what does one need to avoid in cleaning products when gray water systems are in place?
Sent in by Ether
Editor: These are both pretty great gray water questions. From what we've heard, getting a permitted gray water system can be tough. Has anyone done it?
Also, as far as cleaning products ... 100% biodegradable all the way. Can anyone recommend any good gray water-appropriate detergent?
Here are a few related posts we've done on gray water:
• Gray Water: A Do-It-Yourselfer Installs a Rerouting System
• Blogging the East Bay Express: Kill Your Plumbing
• DIY Green: Solar Panels and Gray Water
• DIY and Permitless Gray Water
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I work for a company that makes composting toilets and designs greywater systems. If we sell 10 greywater systems in a year it's a big year. We've found that there are only a handful of states that have regulations about greywater and as a result local authorities are so unfamiliar with them that they won't grant permits at all.
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Non-systems are probably the best - especially if you're worried about strange features for resale. This means that you just take a bucket, and dump the bathwater in to the toilet to flush it, etc.
view lemonadefish's profile
find yourself a plumbing engineer and talk to them.
view Amandica's profile
Any and all books by Art Ludwig. You can learn so much from him including water storage stuff that is low cost if you're looking to collect from your roof etc. Highly recommended. He's also a good source on the legal status of greywater in your neck of the woods.
view chokecherry's profile