Recycle water today!
by Rachel Ravitch
There are so many ways to recycle water in our homes to use for landscaping and even to flush your toilet! Recently, I spoke with Seattle Greywater Initiative founder Patrick Loderhose about why Seattle doesn’t allow new buildings or existing buildings to get a plumbing permit with a greywater diversion valve. Currently, in Seattle, even though we are adjacent to Snohomish County where greywater is commonplace, we don’t have the framework to implement the state’s framework for greywater harvesting. This mostly means that in Seattle you will still be charged for drainage discharge whether you use it or not (sewer) and you can’t hire a licensed plumber to install your greywater system - you will have to do it yourself.
This is a real barrier for a lot of people and results in a lot of wasted water. In the Puget Sound region, it’s easy to think that water is infinite, however, the years long drought we are experiencing and the bare mountains we are seeing warn of a dire future where water will be a lot less available than it is today. Plus, filtering water into our soil prior to pumping it into the Puget Sound is the best way to ensure water reaching the Puget Sound is purified through the groundwater table, creating the best opportunity for resilient aquatic life.
There are some really simple ways you can recycle your water at home today to water your garden and the wonderful trees in your planting strip!
Install a rain barrel or better yet a rain cistern if you have a large garden. In Seattle, we have a rain barrel purchasing program through Seattle Parks & Recreation.
Put a large bucket in the shower to collect water. I then put a lid over the bucket to keep my cat out and keep the water from evaporating. If you have young kids you will want to get a bucket with a tight fitting lid as buckets are a drowning hazard for small children. I can’t believe how much water we have recycled at our house this way over the summer!
Collect water from your hand sinks. It’s really incredible how quickly you will fill a bucket!
Use the greywater from your washing machine. I haven’t personally tried this, but Patrick from Seattle Greywater Initiative let me know that this is a really excellent and simple way to harvest grey water that is fairly simple for individuals to install on their own. I wish we had taken the time to set this sooner but we will have it in place for Summer 2023.
Treat the water from your kitchen sink for garden use with a mulch basin. Again, I haven’t personally tried this method, but I plan to incorporate more greywater systems into my house before Summer 2023.