Shop Products
Houzz Logo Print
everlasting_gw

complete gravity grey water recyling

everlasting
16 years ago

I am about to set up my own place on developed land.

We had to pay 250 dollars by Jaunuary 1st 2007 to be able to put in a typical septic system, which will cost 6,000. It must be done within this year. I have 5,000 as of right now to work with. Had we not paid the 250 for the permit (really it is a one year extension), it will cost me 20,000 to put in the new style mound system that the state now requires.

Well, I just learned about composting toilets. I want to see if the health department will let me do that....

And, I just learned about a complete grey water recycling system. I want to use this for EVERYTHING except for the toilet...

I want it to be gravity fed. I dont want it to use electricity at all. I can only find one seller in america--brac, but their site shows that the water ends up running to the city sewer. I will be in the country and will not be connected to the towns pipes, as I will have a well.

I need to find this info out soon, or feel I will have to put in a septic tank.

So here are my questions:

Does anyone know of a seller that sells complete gravity systems?

Does anyone know how much this would typically cost?

Or how much room is needed?

Or, will the pipes freeze and be unoperable in winter?

Or just any other info?

Do I have to pay a plumber to do this in America (cause it really doesnt seem to be thaaaaat hard)?

Any other advice would be appreciated!!!

This is just so distressing for me. I understadn how these systems work, but cannot find a business that sells what I am looking for! I so want my place to be a green place. But cannot find the infor I need!!!!

Thanks,

sammie

Comments (7)

  • everlasting
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    That was supposed to say I am setting my place up on "undeveloped" land! Sorry!

  • gardenlen
    16 years ago

    sammie,

    already answered your post elsewhere, but over here in rural we don't need plumbers to do all of it only the underground pipes and to fit whatever minimum we can get them to agree to installing for our system. but we did supply an engineer drawn plan so we could prove soakage and amount of trees etc.,. all of which was only done to get approval so we could then later do our own thing at a later stage.

    but using the nature-loo toilet was the crux of our sytem and our grey water eventually needed to go through a council required grease trap before it went to the fruit trees, all the grease trap did was smelly up the water, so if we had stayed on the block we would have bipassed the grease trap and used all grey water fresh which is the best way.

    len

    Here is a link that might be useful: len's garden page

  • leafygreens
    16 years ago

    Sammie,
    Art Ludwig's books are the best source of greywater recycling. And Jenkins book, Humanure handbook, is the best scoop on poop. I have used them and referred to the technical information many many times. They are straightforward and will answer any and all of your questions or point you in the right direction. i would encourage you to check out the website of each.

  • tclynx
    16 years ago

    I know this is way late for the original post. Good luck in whatever you do. Trying to get governments to accept composting toilets and grey water systems is still something of a challenge here in the US. There are a couple places that do but they are rare.

    About a complete greywater system, I would probably be edgy about using such a "system" even if I could find one. The main rule about greywater is each situation is specific so there are very few general rules that can be of use. The more automatic and complex a system is, the less likely it is to survive and the more costly in manufactured parts. The simpler and more manual a system, the more functional. When I say simple, I'm talking like a hose from the washer to the mulch pits around the orchard and carrying the dish pan out and watering the plants with it after doing the dishes. Most of these simple methods are more appropriate to places that probably have a septic system but people want to make use of the water rather than wasting it.

    I know there is some one posting on the humanure handbook forum about problems they are having because they don't have a septic system installed on a property somewhere in Ohio.

    Any updates on your situation?

  • gardenlen
    16 years ago

    tclynx,

    where is the "humanure handbook forum"?

    len

  • tclynx
    16 years ago

    http://www.jenkinspublishing.com/messages/
    This should get you to the forum pages for all of Jenkins' books including the Humanure Handbook

    If you wish to read the Humanure Handbook online here is a link for that
    http://www.weblife.org/humanure/default.html

    Here is a link to a greywater site
    http://www.oasisdesign.net/greywater/index.htm

    Good luck

  • justinberkey_hotmail_com
    13 years ago

    If you're still looking for info on composting toilets check out http://www.greywateraction.org/ They have lots of info and I'm sure will help you in your search. Another option for conservation which is far less complicated is installing a grey water system for landscape irrigation. Check the link below.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Grey Water System

Sponsored
Through The Garden, Inc.
Average rating: 5 out of 5 stars21 Reviews
#1 Landscape Design Build Firm Serving Virginia/Maryland & DC Area