June 18, 2025
3 min read
The reuse of our interior graywater for landscaping has made a renaissance in the last few years thanks to, in part, regulatory help. Yes it’s true most family farms had a majority of their household waste water as graywater. It, water from bathroom vanities, showers, tubs, laundry and wash basins, simply went out into the landscape, while toilet and kitchen water was sent to a septic system. Times passed and all water was commonly directed to septic systems or community sewer systems. It is no secret that farmers are finding themselves with less water , coastal communities are faced with salt water intrusion from over use of community wells, and that urban communities are asked to conserve, conserve, conserve.
One solution to a complex problem is to reuse as much of your graywater in your landscape. One such simple system that is easy to install in a majority of homes is coined the “laundry to landscape” system. Please check out … https://oasisdesign.net/greywater/laundry/
The system is simple … install a three-way valve at the washer location. This give one the availability to discharge the water over your landscape or direct it to the septic or sewer. As the water is discharged to the landscape it is important to provide a backflow preventer so that water does not return to your laundry machine. This point is where we will find our lesson today.
There are two basic types of back flow preventers (swing check valve) , a spring loaded and a flapper style. Only use flapper style , the spring loaded will get clogged. I had installed a spring loaded valve over a year ago. Please see you tube video …
The client recently washed a fairly dirty and large rug and clogged the system. We pulled it apart and found that the small opening that the spring loaded backflow preventer had clogged. Check out the attached picture. I have not been using these, but did on this job. Why you ask? good question. I had known the problems. This was a great reminder, the only back flow preventer that should be used is a “see through” flapper valve. The clear valve allows one to monitor clogging and preventing any problems from occurring. The valves can be found at pond stores or marine stores where they are commonly sold and used. please see photo of true union see through swing check valve. As you can see the transparent valve can be visually inspected for clogging and undone to clean out if necessary.
Learn from our lessons and do it right! Give us a call and we can help you out wit hall your graywater needs. 805 543 9900 or www.greengoodsusa.com or visit the guru at Oasisdesign.net
Cheers ! Mikel
