Tap into Water Savings

(Page 7 of 8)

August/September 2004
By Claire Anderson 
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One of the best benefits goes way beyond duds and suds, Brad says. “We’re strengthening community ties with more positive interactions among more neighbors, and we are all helping conserve the community’s drinking water. Those using our system are getting exposed to, and are then spreading, various water-conserving and harvesting strategies in their homes, and to their friends and family.”

RELATED CONTENT

Visit www.HarvestingRainwater.com for more information on the brothers’ program and on Brad’s upcoming book, Rainwater Harvesting for Drylands.

Choose Ecofriendly Soap

When you use your graywater for irrigation, avoid using laundry detergents that have high levels of salts, including sodium and boron. Over time, these ingredients can accumulate in the soil and interfere with your plants’ growth.

Some detergents are high in salts; others are quite low. Unfortunately, you can’t tell which ones are safe just by looking at the labels. The only comparison information we can locate is from a 1992 study by the Office of Arid Land Studies at the University of Arizona; it indicated the following liquid detergent brands as good choices for graywater systems: Alfa Kleen, Bold, Ecover, ERA Plus, Oasis, Shaklee and Yes.

Oasis detergent is specifically designed for use with graywater systems [(800) 225-2855; www.bio-pac.com], and EnviroRite Laundry Detergent [(888) 350-8551; www.envirorite.com ] provided lab results with salt levels that are well within the range for successful graywater use.

If you prefer to use your favorite brand, send a sample of the detergent’s resulting wash wastewater to a lab that tests irrigation water for farmers. They can run the tests needed to determine if the water will be safe to use on your plants. The boron levels should be below 0.1 mg per liter, and sodium should not exceed about 40 mg per liter, which is equivalent to the sodium in many tap water sources. Also make sure your detergent is free of chlorine bleach.

Because they are used in such small amounts, most liquid bath products, shampoos and dish soaps pose little harm to plants that are irrigated with graywater. — Mother

Graywater Resources

PUBLICATIONS
Create an Oasis with Greywater;
Builder’s Greywater Guide and Branched Drain Greywater Systems All of the above by Art Ludwig.
To order, see Page 111 or visit www.oasisdesign.net/catalog

Using Gray Water at Home
Arizona Department of Environmental Quality
www.adeq.state.az.us/environ/water/permits/download/graywater.pdf

Installing and Planting
Your Washwater Garden
EcoWaters Projects (978) 318-7033 www.ecowaters.org

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