USING GRAYWATER ON LANDSCAPE

I want to save washing machine water in a barrel and use it to water my grass. Is there any reason I can’t do this?

You can save your washing machine water and use it on your landscape. Reused household water is called graywater and it can come from any sink, the shower and tub and the washing machine. Black water comes from the toilet and needs to go through a septic system before being used.

The potential problem with graywater is how much soap or bleach may be in it. Too much could cause leaf or root damage and could kill beneficial microbes in the soil, but generally it is diluted enough with rinse water not to be a problem. It might be better to use biodegradable and phosphate-free soap, such as that used for camping. All soaps, including biodegradable soaps, should be used at least 200 feet from any open body of water. Kitchen sink water may need to be filtered of organic matter so it doesn’t rot in the barrel. Lots of hot water sent directly to a landscape is not good, so a barrel will help cool it.

In general, the water should be applied to the landscape under the mulch and not sprayed. This is because there is a potential for pathogens to be in the water, and they could be inhaled by breathing in the mist of sprayed water. You might need to check with your local jurisdiction to be sure it is legal to apply greywater to the landscape.

Email questions to info@greenerview.com.