Make Your Wash Water Do Double Duty

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If you'll look once again at Fig. 1, you'll see an overflow drain connected to the primary drum. This 2" pipe is attached to a tank fitting located just below the lip of the drum. The overflow is fitted with a trap—all drain lines must have traps and appropriate vents to prevent the back ow of sewer gasses into the building—and runs into the main drain to the septic tank.

Near the bottom of the first tank, we placed another fitting. A flexible hose extends from this connection to a similar fitting in the bottom of the second drum. As you can see in the drawing, the first tank is elevated four inches above the second, which allows tank two to fill completely, forcing excess water out the overflow drain in tank one.

The second drum is also equipped with a tank fitting to accommodate the flexible suction line going to the pump (and to its attached pressure tank). From the pump, we ran 1/2" PVC pipe to both toilets, replacing the original household water supply lines. If you decide to install a water-reuse system, you should keep in mind that the gray water plumbing must be totally separate from the potable water fines, with no cross connections. It's a good idea to consult your local health department for more information about this regulation.

FLOOD OR DROUGHT

At any given time, the recycling system as discussed to this point can be in one of three modes: The tanks can be receiving too much water from the washer and tub, causing overflow into the septic system; they can contain enough water to supply the pump but not enough to overflow; or they can be empty, causing the pump to suck air and probably burn out.

To prevent the system from running dry, we designed a valve arrangement that brings clean water into the second tank when it's needed. We purchased a standard ball-cock valve (the type used in a toilet tank), which consists of a stem that draws water in the bottom, a valve which is opened or closed by a lever arm with a float, and two outlets. We chose a brass unit, bec ause it's mechanically stronger than the plastic ones on the market.

We anchored the ball cock to the garage wall above the second tank, with the inlet at the bottom and the lever extending out over the tank. To each outlet we attached a rubber hose' and the free ends were fastened just above the bunghole in the top of the tank. According to health codes, the hoses, which carry white water, must never touch the gray water.

The lever arm of the ball cock passes through a hole drilled in the side of a 1/2 " wooden dowel, as shown in Fig. 2. A hole drilled into the dowel's other end accepts a piece of threaded 1/4 " steel rod. That, in turn, threads into a plastic toilet tank float, and the rod and its junction with the float are liberally coated with silicone to prevent corrosion and to seal the float.

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