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Graywater irrigation systems can be very simple and non-electric when the top of your planterbed (leach field) is below the elevation of the home's sewer effluent pipe. Our standard greywater kits include a settling tank (filter basin acting as a grease and debris trap) that sends filtered greywater directly out to the leach field (planterbed). If your planterbed or leach field is uphill from the settling tank location, an electric pump lift station (sump pump) will need to be added to your system. An example sump basin is shown at the end of this page, but your actual pump and tank will vary with lift and head (height and distance) from settling tank to leach field. Since our greywater kits include free consultation and design assistance, we will work with you later to specify the correct lift station, if need be. Those parts are locally available. Should you wish to purchase the lift station elsewhere, we will be happy to help you decide on one.
Graywater irrigation is still a unique concept in many parts of the world. If you have to "pull" building permits, the phrase "greywater recycling" is best referred to simply as a "septic system" in your application. Greywater recycling operates on the same principles as a septic tank system, except that with little or no solid waste, a graywater irrigation system can have a much smaller tank and considerably less leach field area ("planterbed"). Building code regulations vary from town to town, so we have no way of knowing what type of system will ultimately pass code in your area until you begin the design phase, but some general rules of thumb for system sizing are:
Mind you, this is a conservative figure.
You can easily produce less greywater with conservation.
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The image at right is a page straight out of our local county's ISDS manual
Slower percolation rates and/or poorly draining soil (more clay) require larger leach fields. There are two ways to calculate the minimum absorption area ("leach field"). Typically, you dig an eight foot inspection hole in the area of the intended leach field and your local building department physically examines the soil to determine its Long Term Acceptance Rate ("LTAR"). In some areas of the country, a local soil testing firm must be hired to perform a percolation test to "clock" the speed of your soil's capacity to absorb liquids.
The typical flow rate ("Q") is 75 gallons per person per day with an extra 50% often added by some counties (see right):
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Please note that even if you don't have to obtain a building permit for your greywater system now, it doesn't mean a future owner won't be required to.
We highly recommend keeping resale value and future health code enforcement firmly in mind when considering graywater irrigation.
Roof run-off cisterns are an excellent source of toilet flushing water, but recycling greywater to flush your toilet is simply not cost-effective and is potentially unhealthy.
It is much easier, less expensive, and worlds safer to directly dispose of greywater in a leaching pit or irrigation field.
Here's several classic greywater system design mistakes to avoid:
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A well designed greywater recycling system (graywater irrigation) will automatically water and fertilize your planterbed (graywater leach field) every time you drain the tub or do a load of laundry. The water's warm and full of nutrients; plants love it! Please note that we do not condone treating greywater to the extent that it can be used as sprinkler system water for your lawn. These aerobic and chlorinating treatment systems are too mechanically complicated and initially expensive to ever be considered cost effective. With the average person producing less than 50 gallons of greywater per day, there are much simpler and cost effective places to direct your graywater, than your lawn. A single fruit tree, for instance, can easily uptake 15 gallons per day. |
Greywater (graywater) recycling planterbeds are easy with our passive (gravity drainage) graywater irrigation system. Your personalized greywater recycling kit will include a 41 inch tall (3" lid) by 26 inch diameter filter basin, an unauthorized entry resistant lid, graywater irrigation filter, diverter valve with threaded cap and handle kit, and all of the fittings, seals, cleanouts, inspection ports and vents listed shown below. You need only supply the locally available 4 inch sewer pipe and any additional fittings needed for your particular leach field (planterbed) design, which may be larger or more complicated than the norm. Our toll-free installation assistance is included in every graywater disposal system we sell! That's what makes our kits such a great value. Unlike the large catalog companies we've experimented, installed and serviced many different greywater system configurations over the years. We have the practical knowledge necessary to ensure your project's success.
| Our passive graywater irrigation (or disposal) kits make watering your greenhouse, orchard, or planterbeds a breeze. Graywater from your home is piped directly to this extremely durable, buried vault where solid debris (lint, hair, and dirt) settles to the bottom and grease floats to the top. Yes, Grease and Fats ... some of the most popular "natural" bar soaps are 99.9% refined chicken fat. That's why you must have a settling tank or your leach field will eventually clog and fail. As greywater flows in, clarified graywater irrigation flows out. Our graywater irrigation kit works without any "moving parts". All of the fittings required to install your greywater filter/settling basin are included*: tank with lid, rubber grommets for inlet and outlet pipes, neoprene lid gasket, and tamper resistant fasteners. Replacement and/or additional fittings are common four inch diameter sewer pipe available at your local plumbing or building supply store. *You provide the straight (perforated and/or solid) sewer pipe from house to tank and from tank into leach field. |
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As with any kit purchased from us, we can certainly work with you on specific site needs after purchase.
For instance, the main consideration in a cold climate is keeping frost from penetrating down into soil surrounding the settling tank.
Typically, this entails covering the area around tank (surface above) for at least three to four feet with a heavy duty tarp (8' by 8' or 10' by 10' size) to prevent moisture (frost) from being driven down to surrounding soil.
Then place an at least 2 inch thick sheet of blueboard EPS foam insulation (4' by 4' minimum) directly above tank.
You cut hole in center of sheet to slip circle of foam out for gaining access to settling tank lid.
Dry soil is key to maintaining warmth since frost only penetrates down into moist soil.
The leach field and pipe to and from tank will not be affected by cold since it is running water, but laying the pipe in a thick gravel bed is standard practice for preventing frost from contacting the pipe (same applies to tank).
Burying the settling tank deeper is always an option to help in cold climates, but a foot or two for the tank is typical.
An orchard or row of privacy bushes are perfect uses for household greywater — a single fruit tree can easily uptake fifteen plus gallons per day.
A small leach bed system with forty feet of perforated pipe (pictured below) can easily dispose and reuse well over 120 gallons of greywater per day.
These first two drawings outline a conventional septic system type leach field (pipe-in gravel buried one foot minimum).
One thing to note is that root infiltration will eventually become a problem with any conventionally buried pipe-in-gravel systems.
The filter fabric specified here certainly helps avoid such root infiltration problems, but nature has a way of getting around even the best geotextile fabrics.
Depending upon local codes, you may be limited to this type of system, but there is an excellent option.
The third drawing outlines a more effective shallow burial of perforated pipe (under a mulch layer) to avoid root infiltration.
As always, check with local building and/or health department officials before installing any greywater system.
When you place an order for a system with us, we will work closely with you to design and install the most functional greywater recycling system possible, given local regulations and limitations.
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The following type of "leach field" is much more effective for greywater irrigation. By laying the perforated pipe atop the tilled "scarified" soil, you avoid any problems with root infiltration. A thick layer of mulch ensures that the pipes are not affected by sunlight and prevents freeze problems in the winter. In extreme climates, increase the amount of mulch in winter months. The sketch below leach field detail drawing shows a much larger layout for disposing of hundreds of gallons per day. It is important to design the layout size to match the soil percolation properties and amount of greywater being disposed of daily.
Here’s the same style of greywater leach field built as a planterbed atop the existing ground on a sloped lot. This makes for a unique focal point in any yard. As a matter of personal safety, do not use pressure treated lumber around food crops and fruit trees. Be sure to scarify the existing soil under your planterbed well — till and or turn the soil with machinery to ensure good percolation.
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Sloped lots are always a challenge since the perforated pipe must be installed perfectly level to ensure even distribution of the greywater. As the drawing below illustrates, you can use 45 degree fittings to drop the elevation of your perforated pipe in stages. This is a very simple and effective way to alleviate any problems with a sloping lot. This particular design features drywell kits at the end of each lateral (perforated pipe line) to catch overflow in cases of extreme usage over and above average day-to-day greywater production.
Indoor gardening planterbeds and attached greenhouses are the heart of sustainable architecture. Along with green, growing plants there come benefits both practical and spiritual. Indoor planterbeds perform many functions besides being just a great hobby. The staggering volume of wet earth in these planterbeds holds an amazing amount of energy (cooling or heating). This is one of the keys to high thermal mass housing: energy storage. The other main benefit from having indoor planterbeds is the humidity to be gained from plant evapo-transpiration. Mechanical humidifiers are well known for their stale water and problems with bacterial transmission. Plants provide plenty of natural humidification without any need to worry about how pure it is and totally without need for electricity. Proper levels of humidity are guaranteed to make your home more comfortable in the winter through better transmission of energy (hot air holds a great deal more heat than dry air). Plus, your skin will appreciate it and you won't have to worry about shocking your fingertips off every time you reach for a doorknob.
As shown below, exterior planterbeds are constructed in much the same way as interior planterbeds. These exterior planterbeds have direct roof gutter irrigation in addition to greywater recycling options. Root infiltration is kept to a minimum and the pipes easily installed by simply laying the leach field upon tilled soil and covering with at least six inches of mulch and/or gravel as per local code and/or your sustainable irrigation needs. Bricks under the pipe every couple of feet will help ensure even distribution by keeping the entire "leach field" level. We recommend avoiding a layer of landscaping fabric under the distribution pipes: (fabric under these pipes will help prevent root infiltration, but the resulting bio-mat negates any long-term benefit). One of the best tips we can offer for a low-maintenance, passive irrigation system is to not glue the distribution pipe fittings: this allows you to easily disassemble the field, clean the pipes, and remove any root infiltration.
In the photo below, you can see where we are installing a layer of landscaping fabric above the irrigation pipes to keep weeds from growing in between the trees and shrubs (those sickly looking sticks). The west side planterbed (shown above) was not fitted with landscaping fabric as a comparison. As expected, we found that the landscaping fabric was unnecessary with a deep enough mulch layer to block weed growth. In fact, the landscaping fabric was a nuisance as soon as it started to decompose. For the record, it has been fifteen years and we have not had to dismantle the leach field pipes yet to remove root infiltration. I suspect that it may never be required.
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This "self-cleaning" filter is the heart of our passive greywater systems. Keep in mind that besides the parts, our toll-free installation assistance is included in every graywater system we sell! That's what makes our kits such a great value. Unlike the large catalog companies we've experimented, installed, and serviced many system configurations over the years. We have the practical experience necessary to ensure your success and pack just about everything you will need with your kit >>>. |
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Graywater irrigation systems can be very simple and non-electric when the top of your planterbed (leach field) is below the elevation of the home's effluent pipe.
When used as the first settling tank of your greywater system, this filter basin acts as a grease trap. Typically, a drop tee is used to introduce incoming greywater subsurface (see sketch above) and not a direct discharge inlet pipe (as shown to the left).
The direct discharge pictured here is only recommended when installing the basin in-line after an inital settling/surge tank.
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This 10 piece hole saw kit is included for free with our passive greywater kits. Every installation tends to be unique; this free hole saw kit allows you to put the inlet, outlet, and inspection holes right where you need them. A nice touch that we continue to include for no extra charge with every greywater kit. Trying to cut a round hole by hand or with a jigsaw can be a challenge, at best. |
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One of the keys to a quality gravity distribution system is the flow director. Even distribution is VERY important to plant health in a greywater recycling system, so don't trust old-fashioned distribution boxes ("D Boxes") which are notoriously unreliable. Even a minor amount of settling will drastically affect a D box's even distribution. One of the most common mistakes with graywater irrigation systems is relying upon simple Tees or Double Ells to properly distribute your effluent. Be aware of the fact that tilts as little as 1/8 of inch will result in enormous differences in effluent distribution with Tees and Ells. |
Laboratory tests have shown that even at a 1/8 inch tilt, these flow directors deliver relatively equal flows (+/- < 1.3%). They are constructed of high quality PVC and easily install by attaching directly to 4 inch SCH40 or thinner wall SDR35 pipe. We supply one flow director with each $695 kit, but you can purchase additional units for $79 and install them in series to evenly distribute effluent to multiple lines. New stepped hub design (not shown) allows use of either Sch40 or SDR35 four inch PVC pipe. Director valve kit ships complete with threaded access cap, coupler for riser pipe, and flow adjustment handle. The "trick" to successful irrigation with greywater is to design a system that allows you to switch from one leach field to another, thus allowing one field to dry out between watering cycles. This is especially important with fruit trees - they need to have their root systems dry out between waterings. The diverter valve (flow director) packaged with every kit allows you to split greywater 50/50 or divert all to one side or the other. This unique design allows monitoring of the effluent from grade, but the most important feature of our flow director is that it can be adjusted to either split the flow evenly between the two outlet lines OR alternate the flow to one side or the other. This allows you to let one half of your greywater irrigation leach field go fallow for replanting and/or prevent hydraulic overloading. Unlike the large catalog companies we've experimented, installed, and serviced many system configurations over the years. We have the practical experience necessary to ensure your success. Please note that there is a 2-1/4 inch elevational drop between inlet pipe and outlet pipes on this director valve, so these may not work for a remodel where limited slope is available. Your effluent lines need to drop at least 1/8 inch per foot between tank and leach field.
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Director Valves split 50/50 or all to one side for $79*
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Keep lint out of your leach field! The simplest and most effective way to ensure a healthy leach field is to put a strainer bag on your washing machine effluent. Install your utility sink next to the washing machine and attach a five gallon paint strainer bag to the effluent with a hose clamp (see left). Keep lint out of your filter basin for a smoother operating system and a healthier leach field. Laundry lint will clog a leach field faster than anything else. |
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Need a pump too? If your leach field or planterbed is uphill from the filter basin, you will need a sump basin with automatic pump. The picture at left shows both sizes of basin with the pump out front. These pumps are nice in that they don't have a float switch, they automatically operate off of a pressure diaphram switch instead. This option would add about +/- $350 to the cost of your greywater recycling system depending upon the size and setup. We can discuss and design which pump is best as part of your free consultation with purchase of a system. |
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Create An Oasis with Greywater
The revised and 145 page greatly expanded fifth edition of Art Ludwig's heavily illustrated book outlines numerous basic greywater recycling systems and serves as an excellent primer for anyone interested in building their own "septic" system.
Discussions include greywater filtration, pumps, leach fields, plant selection, soils, and basic plumbing.
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